Jester's Girl
by Mikeala-and-Whitney
Summary: What do you get when two Arkham Patients have a kid? One jacked up child. Yeah, this isn't Mary Sue comes to town. Gotham is not the best place to raise a kid, expessically when it's in The Narrows; but hey, whatcha gonna do
1. How droll

**[A/N: I own NONE of Batman, Stan Lee's characters, or any of DC or anything realated to it, even if I wish it, I don't. The only characters I own are my OCs, thus including Jessie my main OC; hope you like this. This particular story is my first Batman story on here so be gentle with me, no flames please, be colorful [so to speak] with your revies :D hope you enjoy]**

**0000**

I sat on a orange plastic seat, in the newly re-built train, which takes me directly into downtown, where Wayne Tower is too, as other many wide and tall buildings. I was heading to school; well living in the Narrows doesn't really do well when you go to school in downtown Gotham. We don't have a school in the Narrows. Why would we? It's dangerous as the GCPD calls it. I had today, my purple backpack sitting in the seat beside me. And also today, I had my new jester outfit on, it was no harlequin but it did its justice…somehow. I also had my blond hair in two pixie like piggy tails. Apparently Mom felt like waking up long enough to do my hair, and correctly this time. I hate it when she thinks my hair should go a certain particular way and I don't like it. Not one little bit. I have a bit of a temper to be quite honest. Oh well. She deserves it.

My brown eyes scanned outside, through the partially dust covered and scratched window as the train pasted on by things. Seeing the beginning of downtown Gotham and the bridge that led from the Narrows into the downtown area. I blinked slowly as I noticed the graffiti on these train walls. I looked away from the window and around, seeing only a few people on the train really. Like it wasn't safe. Well, it wasn't after dark but still, it was pretty good.

I rolled my eyes as I saw my school dress clothes peeking through my slightly unzipped backpack. I'd have to change back into them later but oh well. I didn't care on what my teacher saw as so-called "_Appropriate_" dress wear. I glanced back through the window seeing we were nearing my school. How great. What could possibly be so great there? Besides seeing my teacher trip over her own feet.

_Meanwhile back in the Narrows, at Arkham Asylum…_

The Joker was sitting at what looked to be a school lunch table; beside him was a bubbly Harley Quinn. Apparently no one noticed she was beside the guy, how quaint. The Joker was tapping his right hand fingers on the table.

Rap. A-tap. Rap. A-Tap.

"**Joker!"** Penguin's voice rang as he sat down across from the Joker; Harley peeked over to listen in then.

"**What is it, Pigeon bird?"** Joker looked up, licking his lips, smacking them a few times as he waited. He wasn't really paying attention though. His eye lids dropped partially shut now, he kept tapping his fingers on the table, grinning wide at the Penguin.

"**I got some news for you."** The Penguin spoke, raising his head up as if thinking he was better **"I'll tell you for a favor."**

"**Listen, bird brain, my Puddin' doesn't do favors for free." **Harley interrupted in quickly, leaning over the table, both palms spread out to hold her up. The Joker slowly looked over at her still with his drooped eye lids raising open a little now.

"**I—I mean Mr. J don't do favors for free." **Harley sat back down then with a giggle; her hands in her lap as the Penguin ruffled his sleeves slightly, sitting up straighter if that was even possible.

"**There's a girl." **The Penguin began to speak but Joker interrupted

"**There's lots of girl—zu." **The Joker smacked his lips, leaning on an elbow now in annoyance it seemed.

"**Not just any girl." **The Penguin waved a finger in Joker's face **"No. No. **_**Your girl**_**." **

"**What girl?!" **Harley Quinn put her hands on her hips, looking over at the Joker, who just leaned back slightly, chuckling.

"**Your kiddy, my dear."** Penguin looked over at the Harley, then back at the Joker with a grin.

And Harley just sat there wide eyed then looked over at her Puddin', smiling wide then.

"**Our little coop, Puddin'! We're gonna see her again!" **Harley squeaked out and nearly fell over as the Joker shoved her aside roughly, leaning in towards the Penguin.

"**Who told ya this again, Birdbrain?" **The Joker smacked his lips, his eyes darkening with a well known annoyed gleam people all over Gotham Penguin just grinned wider, showing his bright white lynx teeth.

**0000**


	2. Time to have some fun

**0000**

`I walked down the sidewalk and around the corner, heading through the gates that lead to my school. I grimaced when I saw some bullies snickering as they looked at me. I didn't like people staring at me. My head stayed down as I stared at the stone pathway, walking up the steps to enter the school as I felt myself being tugged backwards, by my backpack and swung to side, roughly hitting the grass covered area and a foot connecting with my face and then someone picked me up even more roughly.

"**Hey look, guys. It's little Jess."** One of the bullies yelled, his face only inches from mines, I looked up, looking him dead in the eyes, scowling in disgust and annoyance. He was ruining my outfit and my hair. _Jerk. _

"**What's wrong, Jess? Cat caught your tongue?"** He asked me in a low voice, snarling at me with a mock gleam in his eyes. My eyes darkened, as I could tell by the change in his eyes that switched to confusion.

"**Go to hell, Jerk."** With that comment I was thrown back onto the ground and I saw a leg rising up, about to get kicked I rolled to the side, he missed. I got up and took off my backpack fast enough and swung. The bully got hit in the head and stumbled back as his friends glared at me.

"**You want some too?"** I asked them all but then the school bell rung loudly and they scurried off, I looked down at the bully I had knocked down. His nose was gushing out blood; I looked at the bottom of my backpack and noticed some spots of blood. _Ewe._ The boy was glaring in anger at me.

"**I'll get you later, bitch." **The boy warned me, getting to his feet, wiping his nose with his shirt sleeve and running into the school as the doors opened and slammed shut. I shook my head and walked slowly, holding my backpack in my arms, into the school. Today was gonna suck big time. I just knew it. Hey, maybe my teacher will _accidently_ stab herself with the ruler she's always smacking down on my desk.

_Meanwhile back at Arkham…[wow. I had no idea how much that sounded like the Justice League]_

"**Don't get any ideas, clown."** A guard warned The Joker, who was sitting all casually on his bed cot, his back against the wall. The Guard was outside the cell. So how was something bad going to happen? Well, you never know with the Joker. The Joker simply looked over at the Guard with a mocking innocent look on his face, as if he were shocked at the guard would even think something like that, he put a hand to his chest also in mock shock once again.

"**What could I do to you? I'm uh, inside here. All locked up while you're uh free as a bird. I mean, just look at me, I'm just little ol' me. I can't do a thing in here."** The Joker spoke with such mockery that it was nearly laughable; if this wasn't the Joker we were talking about.

The Joker's eyelids drooped as he batted his eye lashes at the guard and then he slowly grinned wide, ear-to-ear. The Guard scowled at him and turned on his heel, walking off out Joker's view. The Joker looked away and back at his hands that were now in his lap, he acted as though they were the most important thing in the world then looked up, still with drooped eyelids.

"**Time to have some **_**fun—uh.**_**"** [Am I the only one that found that comment disturbing? Anyone? Nah. That's what I thought. Anyhoo...] The Joker licked his lips and had that crooked grin on them again, using both palms to support him as he hopped off the bed and stood up straight, stretching and clapping his hands together.

**0000**


	3. Self Control

**0000**

I sat in class in the very front because apparently my teacher thinks its best that I'm near where she can smack me with that damn ruler in her hand. Has a metal side to it too so it's easy to get cut during that little whack. I was drawing in my notebook with my pen, just little sketches and stuff. Some involving the blowing up of Gotham's Main Hospital; I heard about it from my mom and someone had gotten some shots so it wasn't really that hard to imagine what had happen. Apparently some guy that was a clown had blown it up. The Joker or something like that?

I finished the last touch to my drawing and grinned as I could practically hear the tumbling of rocks and dust collapsing down, ambulance sirens wailing.

"**Ms. Hilton?"** My teacher asked me, standing in front of my desk, I slowly looked up with a blank expression, and my eye lids drooping slightly as I took one long blink. Nearly mocking her. I then smiled a friendly fake grin, teasing gleaming in my eyes.

"**Yes, Mrs. Drew?"** I asked, showing my teeth as I smile wide, she looked at me in disgust for a moment, some of the kids in my class snickering.

"**Maybe you can tell the class why you weren't paying attention today**." She told me, a crooked grin on her lips and I titled my head to the side and her smile faded.

"**Because I actually understand the difference between teaching and just plain loafing laziness?"** I asked, quirking an eyebrow, still smiling. A lot more kids snickered this time, and my teacher scowled at me. Well she asked, didn't she? Oh well.

My teacher walked back around her desk with a frown but didn't say a darn thing. Why wasn't she yelling? I was actually becoming quite fond of that. I rolled my eyes and looked back down at my drawing, frowning. Then the kid beside me seemed to just find this so amusing, he reached over and took the paper that had my newest drawing on it and ripped it in half then scrunched it up, throwing it into the trash can with a wide grin on his lips. My eyes widen slightly but then drooped down slightly, partially shut now. I wanted to claw this boy's eyes out with my nails right now but I resisted the urge; just like I resisted the urge to show him my new magic trick. It's called self-control, people. Learn it. Abuse it. Destroy it. Anyhow…I slowly looked back down at my now bare desk, glaring at it as I waited for the lunch bell to ring.

_BUUUUUUUZZ! BUUUUUUUZZ! _

Did it REALLY have to be THAT Loud? I mean come on. It wasn't like we were on Area 51 or in Arkham Asylum. Gosh. This really was an_ old_ school. I shook my head, apparently I had zoned out for a moment because the kids in my class were already heading towards the door to leave. I slid out of my chair, away from my desk and reached down, picking up my notebook before standing back up and walking over to the door. I could feel my teacher's eyes burning into the back of my head, I stopped for a moment and grinned, hugging my notebook and then leaving the classroom. I turned to the right, walking down the hall, just grinning to myself. I just _luh-uv_ my job.

Making my way down, earlier I had put on my dress uniform cause the Principal took notice to it when I walked in, I kept slowing down whenever there was a window near by. It was pretty out today. Rabbits being chased by Mr. Georgian, the schizophrenic gardener here at the school, this was a boarding school and the only building that didn't go high in the sky like all of Gotham's other buildings here in Downtown. He stopped, Mr. Georgian, and waved at me. I slowly waved back and then he started yelling in French again and chased after all the little Peter Cottontails. I turned and walked the rest of the way down the hallway, reaching the cafeteria then.

I walked in, and right away as if on impulse for them, I received death glares from Alana Allens and Cynthia DeMoli, the school's on personal plastics. Cheerleaders with cigarettes. But there the ringleader, Angelica Falcone, the rich bitch. I looked directly at her then, then smiled wide, and chuckled walking over to MY table. I sat down with my notebook in hand, flipping it open and starting to draw. I didn't feel like eating today. So what if I skipped a day. It's just one day. Not like I'm going anorexic…_yet_. No, not the way Ms. Puke-a-lot a.k.a Angelica Falcone does it. But MY way.

That's when I heard this…

"_**Good evening, children**_**."** A voice rang in the room, everyone shut up right away at this, freezing to look over at who had spoken, then a manic laughter greeted us. I slowly looked over then with the rest, and also just as slowly, closed my notebook. Bad things were gonna happen, and really soon.

**0000**


	4. Life's a beach

**0000**

I saw a man wearing a purple suit and a gun in his right gloved hand, waving the gun about dangerously close to some of the kids in here faces and some of the teacher aides as well. I saw a bouncy woman beside him too; she was also wearing a jester looking outfit but more harlequins. Both of them were wearing make up too, both depressing looking. This must be the Joker and what's-her-face, Harls somethin'. Some others were with them too, all holding guns and wearing masks. What was this? The circus? I slid my notebook off the table slowly and into my arms, hugging it slightly as I watched, everyone else did too.

"**I just wanna know one thing, kiddies. One thing-uh." **The Joker said smacking his lips together a few times, walking around, looking at every kid that were sitting at the lunch tables, he was only so far from mines now. But no one would really notice if I slid off and went through the back exit doors, out of the lunchroom, right? I shifted quietly underneath the lunch table I was at and back up on the other side, shifting one leg over the seat and then the other, and then I slowly moved, with my notebook of course, over to the back doors, attempting to leave the cafeteria.

"**Where is Jessie Hilton?" **He asked loudly, looking around, rolling his eyes as I could tell 'cause I snapped my eyes back directly at him, I could hear the giggle of the bubbly girl beside him, who had a rifle in her hands. I quickly remembered how to move, cause I turned back towards the doors, opening them quietly and about to step out until…

"**She's over there!"** I hear Angelica Falcone's voice screech loudly, echoing throughout the room. I slowly looked back and saw everyone was looking directly at me and Angelica was just grinning wide in amusement. I looked at her wide eyed and mouth agape. Well, wouldn't you be mad if someone pointed you out when the Joker was looking for YOU?

"_**Bitch**_**."** I accused her right away and then remembered who was in the room and scrambled back, out of the cafeteria, running down the hallway, running past the classrooms and heading directly towards the exit and entrance doors to the school. I heard manic laughter behind me and knew exactly who it was now. I turned to look back once, cause I'm stupid like that, and then saw that same bubbly woman from before chasing after me with her rifle. Yeah. That's sane._ Very sane._

"**Coop! Come back, sweetie! I only want to talk!"** I just looked at her wide eyed and turned around, and ran full tilt to those doors as if they were my gates to freedom, and they were. They really were. I heard bullets go off and looked back again, stupid me, and saw the bubbly woman just staring down at her rifle wide eyed.

"**Oopsa daisy."** The harlequin woman squeaked and I looked at her with a look of awe. Was that thing loaded? Of course. I then heard a loud growl and saw the Joker appear. Oh crap. I turned and ran out of the school, still with my notebook somehow, and ran down the stone pathway and around the corner.

Yeah. I should join track sometime just to freak the guys out. Let's just say…I'm really flexible, okay? No wonder I was in Gymnastics for a while. I went across the road, nearly being hit by a taxi and the driver honked the horn, I turned to look at them, banging my fist down on the front of the hood and it dented. It dented! I looked at my hand then; god, that was hot! Really hot! I cringed in pain for a moment before glaring at the driver. Son of a bi…Anyhow. I flew across the road when seeing some of the Joker's goons coming close. Going around the corner, I looked up seeing a fire escape ladder. Well…Hell yeah, I climbed it. What else was I going to do? I used my feet to jump up higher, finally getting to the ladder and hopping up, causing the whole thing to shake violently, I held on for my dear life as I went higher up. Hey, this was a pretty good building. Nice and fancy. I saw the Joker's goons run on by. Yeah, and people just kept on their merry way. There was clown masked wearing guys with guns! How do you miss that?! Well, there were only a few people here in this certain area...for some odd reason.

I closed my eye lids partly and the partially re-opened, looking around and sighing. Zipping back down the ladder and my feet hitting the ground a second later. I looked around and ran in the other direction, around a corner. Heading for the Narrows…

**0000**


	5. Because of Him

**0000**

I walked somehow over the bridge to the Narrows, but that was like ten minutes ago. Now I was walking down throughout the grimy streets in the Narrows. It felt dirty. Cause it WAS dirty. Graffiti everywhere, on every wall. Towers of buildings that looked like they would collapse at any moment, and dark alleys where people probably were stabbed to death or even mugged. The Narrows is not safe, 'kay? Ever get the chance to come here…don't stay the night. I shifted my backpack over to my other shoulder then, not that it bothered me. There was a few people beating the crap out of some guy, I stopped to look because again, I'm THAT stupid. They didn't even notice me. I could go over to help but I don't feel like dying today. Sorry. Forgive me for be partially sane here.

I continued to walk down the sidewalk then, it was getting dark quickly too, even though it was only…what? One pm or something? Well…this *was* the Narrows. I made my way around a corner, hugging my notebook to my chest as if protecting it from something. I quickly shifted to the side as I got to the building that I lived at. It was one of the few still functioning okay buildings here. I held my notebook with one arm then, reaching over to open the musty smelling door to the building. Walking in slowly and the door slamming shut quickly behind me. Usually, a normal person would jump at that but I lived here long enough to know the sound daily. Flipping my hair back slightly, out of my face so I could see where I was going, my hair was a little greasy but not that much. Mine was much nicer than flippin' Angelica Falcone. I might be blond but that doesn't mean anything. I'm way smarter than all of 'em. Seriously. Not bragging or anything but still…sorry. Going off topic…

I walked up the slightly blood stained slash dirt smudged marble stairs, walking past wooden doors that had golden numbers on them and twirled myself up the other case of stairs and walked up them as well, then finally making it to my floor. This was the third floor for those who don't know. I got to the door that had number 34 on it. Opening the door, I walked in. The. Door. Was. Unlocked. That's just stupid…

I saw my Mom chatting away on the phone, talking about something of a club called the Pink Flamingo and the pluming. Ewe. I saw her look at me quickly then and smile, waving with one newly nail manicured hand.

"**Hiya, Jess."** She said then went back to chatting away, ignoring me once again. I quirked an eyebrow, my eye lids drooping again. It'd be so easy to just knock her out with a baseball bat.

I turned, going down the long hallway to the end, and taking a left, opening my bedroom door and heading in quickly. Locking the door behind me. My bedroom door was the only one that had a lock. And that was only because *I* decided to put a lock on it. I threw my backpack onto my bed; it looked like my backpack was being engulfed into the bed. But oh well…I shifted over to my newly bought computer. I was one of the rare kids here in the Narrows to actually have one. I have it thanks to my Dad too. He's actually kind of nice. When he's not drunk or to busy at his_ special_ work.

Clicking it on, I pulled up the internet. It was dial up so it took a while…But then it blurred up onto the screen and then was nearly darn perfect as I looked up Joker on google. Looking and searching until I got what I wanted…_the Joker_. It was on page two, that was quick. I scanned it and it had all these newspaper readings about him too. Him and the Dark Knight. Gotham's once protector. That's when I heard a scream…my Mom's scream.

I quickly flew off my desk chair and over to the door, unlocking it slowly and cracking the door to look down the hall way. Seeing my Mother being flung onto the table only so far away, the table broke and a manic laughter echo throughout my home. I saw my Mom whimpering on the ground, pleading, begging for her life to be spared. Not even considering the fact that I was STILL in the house too. Then…

The Joker crouched down to my mom's height, she whimpered some more but then he stroked her face.

"**Shh. Shh."** He hushed her quietly, mocking her I could tell **"It'll be alright. Hey. Hey. Look at me. Look."** My mother slowly looked back up at him then, terrified from what I could, being that I was only watching this from my slightly open door. There were others with him, thugs but not that bubbly woman. Where was she?

"**Hey. You look nervous. Is it the scars?"** He asked and my eyes widen slightly as he took out a sharp knife, pulling my mother towards him by her hair, tiny sobs escaping out of her mouth. He placed the knife at her left cheek, stroking the knife against her skin **"You wanna know how I got them?"** He asked, smacking his lips slightly. I could hardly breathe. As much as I disliked my Mom…she didn't deserve this. Did she?

Then he slid the knife into her mouth slowly as her whole body shook in fear, he just stared at her, no longer smiling.

"**Now you see. I had a daughter, right? Do you have kids? I do. Like I said…I HAD a daughter. Now, I, being who I am, didn't want a little brat following me everywhere. But then when I knew that kid had fight in her. Well, I was. The. Proudest. Parent. Ever." **He smacked his lips, moving the knife over to the right side, the knife still in her mouth **"Then. She was born. She looked just like her Daddy and her Mommy. Blond curls and brown eyes. But then…Gotham's finest came. They didn't like the fact that we were with our own kid."** He leaned in with an angry look on his face, no…beyond anger as he stared my Mom dead in the eyes **"So they take her away from me. I didn't like that. Not. One. Little. Bit.** **They hid her but I vowed I'd find her and make everyone to blame would suffer. So, I had to go to this guy, you see. And he was the one who took her away from me. He has a gun…" **He chuckled, smiling but with madness to it **"I got him good. See this knife? I put in his mouth…like how I'm doing it now. And then…I asked '**_**Why so serious?**_** ' and then…well you get the picture. Any hoo…Hey. I forgot to ask…Do you have any kids?" **The Joker asked before slashing the knife violently to the side and up, my Mom went immediately limp…going into shock. My Mom…was dead…Because of the Joker.

I gasped quietly but then I saw the Joker slowly turn his head, standing up as he did so, the knife out of my Mom's mouth and looking down the hall. I made eye contact with him for what seemed to be hours until I remembered how to move, backing up quickly into my room, shutting the door quickly as I heard feet moving down the hallway and locked the door, then backing up towards my window. My eyes snapped over to my bed and I grabbed the duffle bed that was underneath. Yeah. I was ready if I had to run away for some reason. You HAVE to be prepared in the Narrows at all times.

I grabbed it and threw my backpack underneath my bed where my duffle bag once was, and then grabbed my note book, stuffing it into my bag quickly as I moved over to my window. I flicked the lock to the side and pushed the window up high enough for me to get out onto the fire exit escape. I climbed out and onto it; the thing was already shaking even before I stepped onto it. Third floor wasn't that high up, was it? I was shutting the window as I saw my bedroom door was being hit violently, then with one final jerk it was thrown open, the lock probably broken. I had made sure the lock was flicked to the side before I had climbed out so it was locked now. I saw the Joker step into the room with his thugs. Tilting his head to the side when seeing my outside on the fire escape then someone fired a gun…bullets blasting through my glass window, I moved to the side quickly, my back to the brick wall before I remembered I had to go quickly. I moved forward, going down the wobbly steps of the fire escape, moving down one floor then another, and then hopped over the metal sign that hung on, and then my feet hit the ground a second later. I was already running down the sidewalk at rapid pace, like I was heading for freedom. I really was. I really hate Gotham…

I twirled around the corner and saw a bus stop. _Nah_. To easy. I looked around, observing my surroundings, my eye lids drooping shut only once before re-opening them. My eyes zipping to a bike that was unchained, I looked in the corner of my eye and then ran across that road to the bike as fast as I could. My blond hair hanging over my shoulders now, daring to hide my eyes but I didn't care as my brown eyes locked on the bicycle.

I quickly pulled it off the wall, due to it not being chained as said, and hopped on, shifting my duffle bag to balance. I wish this was a dirt bike. It'd be more fun. I started to peddle quickly, feeling the vibration of its movement going up my legs to my back. The tires screeched loudly as I turned a sharp corner, to the left and peddled past few people that seemed slightly interested now in what was going on. Like they knew what had happen. This was the Narrows we're talkin' about…

**0000**


	6. Three days later

**0000**

_Three Days Later…_

I sat on a chair at the GCPD with a fazed look on my face, no emotion really and I could tell cause some of the cops here were staring at me. They had to rebuild years back because of this Joker person, the one who killed my mom. But some here probably think it's freakin' normal, that the Joker kills lots of people. Well, it's not normal. Jim Gordon, the commissioner, had been here moments before. He told me that it was all going to be okay, he gave me a blanket too. He was pretty nice but that didn't matter. None of it did.

I looked around slowly, my blond hair over my shoulders, nearly getting in my eyes now but I could still see. I saw some cops looking through folders, staring at me. I hated people staring. That's when Jim Gordon came over again, a sad smile on his face and his eyes held of sympathy of course. They had found me on the streets a few hours back, knowing who I was because they had raided the place I once called home. Seeing the pictures…and the body of my Mom. Her face cut by a knife, making it look like railroad tracks there.

"**Hey."** He said to me, patting me on the back slightly, I slowly looked up at him, my eyes darkening as I could tell his slight fear there, worry that was replaced with again forced smile. Just like the rest of them.

"**I already heard it all, Commissioner. I know my Mom's dead. I'm not delusional or stupid. I'm old enough to understand."** I told him in a low voice **"She's not coming back. So you don't have to act like you care." **He sighed and sat down beside me, the chair cricking under his weight. He looked at me with a slight smile now, no longer forced as much.

"**I'm not going to tell you how you should be feeling or what you should do. I'm just seeing if you need someone to talk to. A friend. There's not many of those around in Gotham. But as said, I am sorry for your loss." **He said with sadness in his voice, being very sincere now. I looked at him then looked away, pouting now slightly, bringing my legs up on the chair, hugging my knees. I didn't look at him again.

With another sigh, he ran a hand through his hair as I could see in the corner of my eye now and got up from the chair, walking away from me finally. I sighed with relief, no, he wasn't over comforting. The great thing about him though that I've found out by knowing him these few hours…he doesn't smother like the rest.

I continued to hug my knees, hiding my face on them now as I let my hair fall over slightly. The blanket over me somehow staying in place and it was warm. Much better than the stuff I had back home. It was comforting, like Gordon. Slowly, I looked up from my knees, peaking over as I saw the cops had stopped staring finally, and slid my legs back down, my feet nearly touching the ground now. I wrapped the blanket around and stood up, off the chair and stood there for a moment.

My drooped eye lids raised a little as I walked over near where the restrooms were, then being stopped by another smothering cop.

"**Hey, hey. Where you goin', little girl?"** Little. Girl? How dare he.

"**Not that it's any of your business but the restroom, Jackhold."** I told him in a low voice, glaring at this pig and he slowly moved, looking flustered now.

"**Oh, sor—sorry." **He told me and I resisted the urge to growl like I always did when ticked off, heading into the girl's restroom with my blanket, out of view. I looked around the room; it had only four stalls and three sinks. Clever counting there.

There was a small window that I could reach if I stood up on the heater there, so easy. Too easy really. But still…

I walked over with my blanket around me then quickly took it off, folding it up so it was small enough to put it my bag which I had with me too. I wouldn't let anyone touch it, not even Gordon. They had let me keep it only because he had said I could too. I shoved the blanket into the duffle bag. I'd return it later…somehow.

I swung the strap over and let the duffle bag hit my back slightly, it didn't hurt due to the blanket becoming a cushion there inside. I went over to the heater, looking around and quickly stepping up on it, holding my balance somehow. Looking for the clip that locked the window, when I found it I flicked it open and slowly opened it up. Looking around once more before using my feet to somehow crawl up to the space and slide through, falling onto a dumpster. _Ow_.

I groaned slightly, shutting my eye lids, I could reach back up and shut the window but it was too high now and I seriously thought I had broken my back from that fall. I slid off the dumpster then, landing slightly on the ground then stood back up onto my feet. It was already raining and my clothes were stained from the dumpster grim and wet slickness.

I whipped off some of the dirt on my shirt which didn't help; it just caused a bigger stain. Then I looked around, this was an alley way and there was a back exit door behind me, one to enter the GCPD. I walked down the alley, away from the exit door and dumpster. Going left and around the corner, away from the GCPD. Eventually they would realize I was gone, and Gordon would send out his little minions to find me. _Quaint_. Not that necessary but quaint.

I slicked my hair back behind me ears as it was bugging me again, it was wet enough to do this so why not. That was a rhetorical question there. I walked down the sidewalk, some cars zipping past me. I walked slower when I noticed a particular black van parked across the street. Maybe I was paranoid but I felt like someone was watching me from over there. I picked up my pace, moving a little quicker than before, faster than just walking. I heard feet shuffling behind me. I looked slightly back over my shoulder seeing two men following after me, only so many paces behind. I looked back to what was in front of me. Yeah. I was paranoid.

I slid a hand into my right pant pocket, taking out my switch blade, flicking it open in front of me then flicking it shut, sliding it back into my pocket. Better safe than sorry. Don't even ask how I got THAT one past the GCPD and Gordon. At least I was prepared if anyone were to happen, you know.

I cleared my throat a little, those two men were still behind me too, my feet shuffled and I turned a corner, moving across the street then as people walked also the same way, getting into the crowd; only looking back once to see those two guys looking, trying to find something. Guess it was smart to be paranoid like that. I looked back to what was in front of me; some woman bumped into me and didn't even apologize. I frowned, annoyed but still walked onto the sidewalk, going around that corner and out of view for those two guys probably.

It's stupid and wrong really, for us to have to be paranoid in Gotham. Knowing this place isn't safe and stuff. Stupid.

I walked down that sidewalk and then heard the squealing of tires, someone was coming around the corner. I stopped and looked back, seeing a black van zipping around the corner, past the speed limit probably. Was that same one from before? Damn.

I turned back around and ran down that sidewalk as fast as I could, my duffle bag shaking violently as I moved. _Did everything in Gotham have to be filled with fear?_

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	7. Kidnapped

**[A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own the song _'Beat it' _by MJ nor anything else except for Jessie and my little made ups*]**

**0000**

`Ever had to run down a few blocks of just plain empty streets while a black van is chasing you at full speed? Didn't think so. And it's starting to rain, so that just sucks eggs. I kept my pace as fast as I could, my jacket was starting to slip from my shoulders, my duffel bag hitting against my leg. See, I told you that I should have joined track.

My feet clicked against the sidewalk, the van was getting closer, I could hear the growl of the engine, my heart beat skipping every other beat, threatening to stop at any moment. My hair was getting in my face, it was just trying to tick me off, wasn't it? Gosh, I'm such a blond. But anyhoo, I kept my pace fast. Turning around a corner, nearly falling to the ground, but collecting my balance, skidding down the road now, not even bothering with the side walk. The van's tires screeched rather loudly as it turned the corner, the sound of it hurt my ears. And why is the song _'Beat it'_by MJ playing in my head now? Oh well.

I could hear my own breathing increasing, my chest hurt now but I didn't stop, but sadly, me being clumsy at times hit the ground as I tripped over a rock. A rock! What the fruit?! But yeah, I tripped. My hands scraped against the road as did my head, I could feel the sting and blood on my forehead and my hands threatening to show blood. Ow.

My eyes snapped to behind me as the van stopped full tilt, I flipped over, trying to get up to my feet as I crawled away. Two men came near me, they looked as if they had crawled out of the sewers. They had guns...

One grabbed for me and I kicked at him, hitting his face and he stumbled back, the other advancing quickly with the gun, I grabbed it and yanked him down but he was stronger, grabbing me and knocking me back down to the ground, my head bounced off of the road, blood was dripping down my face from that cut of falling the first time. I could feel it. It was disgusting. The other man smacked the other one on the back of the head, yelling at him in Latin or something, shoving him away and then looked at me for a moment before looking back at the guy.

**"Stupid! You know what the Boss said!" **He yelled at the guy, then walked over, yanking me up to my feet, I snapped my teeth at him and he jumped back. He. Jumped. That's no lie. The other one chuckled in amusement, the one I had snapped my teeth at pointed his gun at the guy, that certainly shut him up. I looked smug now, I just knew as I snapped my eyes to the one who got smacked.

**"Hey, hey, hey, man."** The guy said, the other one sighed, lowering his gun and away from the other one. You know what? Just to make it less confusing. I'm going to say the one who I snapped my teeth at is called Blondie and and the other one who is a wimp is Jackass. Just so you don't get confused. See, I can be helpful when I want to be.

"**You shut up."** He told Jackass; see, there's already a smile on your face, isn't there? By just one simple statement. My eyes snapped over to Blondie there, drooping uninterested. When you kidnap someone, usually you tie them up or sedate them, right? Not with these guys. Oh no, no. They want to_ chat._ I licked my lips a little, reaching into my right pocket and sliding out carefully my unopened pocket knife, hiding it behind my back as these two fought then both seemed to agree I was the target. Goody.

Jackass came near me, stupid move there. I clicked open my knife, stabbing this guy in the leg as he tried to hit me again. Stupid jackass. See? And you wonder why I named him that. He bellowed in pain, calling me very bad names, children. But I won't get into that. The other one, whom I thought would be nice, smacked me across the face. Didn't he just say 'you know what boss said'? Now they're both on my hit list. I narrowed my eyebrows in anger, actually growling as I could hear this myself, tackling the guy as he simply picked me up like I was a doll and held me down under his arm, my knife dropping, Jackass picked it up, still holding his leg as he limped and neared me with it. I looked him dead in the eyes.

"**You better not even think about it." **I knew he would try to stab me with it, stupid as stated many times before **"You think I'm joking. Ha. Ha. But no. Oh no, I'm serious, buck. I will hurt you."** I think he got the message then, as I looked at him with drooped eyelids, my brown eyes darkening. I sighed as I could hear the back van's doors opening, drooping my head down, my blond hair covering over making me look quite like the Grudge or something. Then I was flung in, sliding back so far that my head hit the driver's back seat. I groaned under my breath, rubbing the back of my head in pain. I could hear a soft giggle, oh goodness no..._please, no_...

I sat up correctly, looking over behind me to see where that noise had come from. There in the passenger's seat was that bubbly bimbo from before. What's her face? I just know she was with the Joker._ Noise maker_.

"_**You**_**." **I growled at her, she let out a meek giggle, a apologetic look on her face now.

"**I'm sorry, Coop. It was the only way." **She said with a soft sigh, playing with one of her blond pig tails, she wasn't wearing that outfit from before. But why? I scooted away from the area, into a little corner of the van, hugging my knees and letting my head rest down onto my knees, ignoring them, all three of 'em. I didn't even acknowledge their presence. It'd be best just to go into my own little world...that's what I always did when my Mom and Dad fought...when Mom was alive. Did Dad know I was gone? And if he did...did he even care?

The van started up again, they were starting to drive off. I could hear one of them call the noisy lady Harley, so I guess that's what her name is. Well, Harley moved over to where I was now. Sitting down beside me quietly, putting an arm around me. I looked at her arm as if it were a poisonous snake or something, looking slowly back at her with drooped eyelids. She stared at me for a few moments before backing off, her arm going back and around, back into her lap, she was nervous. I could tell cause she was starting to intertwine and untwist her hands together. _Nervous_.

"**You look like your Daddy." **Harley told me in a low whisper, she was no longer acting like her bubbly self, I looked over at her. She was just staring across, at the van wall in front of both of us.

"**You don't know my Dad." **I spoke slowly, venom within my voice, my eyes sparkled with anger and annoyance. Both were dangerous when it came to me. My Dad always said I had a very bad temper.

"**Uh yeah. I do, Coop." **Why was she callin' me Coop?!

I glared at this chick with all the glaring I could hold out, my eyes no longer drooped but were in slits; was I snarling? Hmm. Oh well.

"**Oh, do tell, Harl."** I could hear her sigh of somewhat shock I would guess as she heard me call her that, what was the big deal?

"**I'm waitin'." **I was mocking her now, and I knew that but didn't really care. She, all three of them and their little boss were kidnapping me, why should I care what they think...well to keep my life could be one good reason. Harley looked over at me and snickered, grinning and actually had the nerve to poke my nose with a finger of hers, her nails painted black and then scooted back over to where she was before she came over here.

"**_That's for me to know and you to find out, Coop_."** She told me with a giggle, looking off with her amused look, biting her lower lip. Resist the urge to jump her, Jessie, resist the urge. You have a life you want to hold onto, right? I looked at her as if she were crazy, which she probably is, cringing slightly but not in pain, snapping my teeth together a few times just to pass time. I turned away again, laying my head against the van wall. Shutting my eyelids, sighing in annoyance. I still had that other knife underneath my jacket, so like...if I ever had to, oh I don't know, jump that particular whack-job blond chick over there? Yeah. _Maybe. _

After a while I must have fallen asleep cause next thing I knew was that someone was shaking me, my eyes snapped open and but of course my first reaction was to punch this person in the face, which is why my fist went forward. I heard a groan of pain, and saw, you'll never believe who, Jackass! How wonderful.

"**Little bitch."** Jackass groaned, looking up at me in pain, raising his hand as if to hit me. I looked at him with a look that was just begging to be punched, egging him on, provoking.

"**Not a dog, buck."** I told him with a chuckle, mocking him but then I heard a giggle. I shut my eye lids, snapping my teeth together again. _Harley. _

I reopened my eye lids and was dragged down, out of the van roughly, Blondie had a hold of my arms, shoving me forward then.

"**Walk, girly."** He told, muttering something to his little friend, Jackass, over there. I tried to hear what he had said but didn't. **"I said walk!" **Blondie yelled at me, and what did I, Jessie, do? I showed him the bird of course. I reiceved a smack on the back of the head. That was it.

I twisted around, grabbing his arm and shoving him back into his friend, running now down the hallway of this compound. I could hear Harley yelling after me. What did they expect? They had only three people here, didn't the Joker hire more people every so often? I turned a corner but was upsmacked in the face, right on the nose, which could have easily broken but I received a bloody nose instead, hitting the ground. I could hear a manic laughter only so far away. There standing in front of me was a apologetic looking Harley, holding her right hand as if it hurt me. Did she hit me?! But behind Harley...the same man that wanted me here...who hired my kidnapping._ The Joker_.

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	8. War paint

**[A/N: Hope you enjoy this chap. :) *]**

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`I backed up slowly, away from him until my back hit against another wall, the Joker's henchmen, Jackass and blondie stayed back with their guns, worried expressions on their faces but they tried the very best to look confident._ Losers_. Can't they see I'm a young child about to be tormented by this deranged clown?

The Joker walked slowly as a monkey would to be cautious, his drooped eye lids were glued to me as he stared, properly blinking before taking on one long blink, intimidating. He smacked his lips together, licking them once before coming over to me, standing up straight, staring down at me as I had my back to the wall** "You wanna know how I got these scars?"** He asked in a low voice, threatening tone, frightening...

I shook my head once and he looked at me nodding, reaching as I tried to move, roughly grabbing my head in his hands as held his knife also, the tip pointing at the tip of my ear, threatening to cut. He held my head firmly in place **"Hey, hey, hey. Look at me. LOOK AT ME!"**

I stopped moving then, breathing slowly as I stared up at him, our brown eyes connecting as our gazes met. Harley whimpered slightly in the background, The Joker sighed, licking his lips before looking over at her with a annoyed frown, she shut up right away. His eyes flickered back at me **"You know what a knife can do? Huh? It can stab into all types of things, like food, it can also slice things, cut things...it can even commit murder, many horrible, really nasty little things-uh."** He didn't look amused, he repositioned his hands, grabbing at my hair with his right hand roughly as he laid the knife to my cheek with his left hand, I could see his hands were gloved with purple leather gloves. _Purple. Of course_.

**"Now, I just might let this slip...and make you a very, very..."** He leaned in, his voice getting low, threatening again, he looked angry and annoyed, you did not want to make the Joker be either **"Ugly. Little. Girl. Got that, Princess?"** I stared at him blankly. I--I didn't even know how to respond to that...

**"Mr. J, maybe you should let her go--"** Harley began but was silenced with Joker back-arming her, seriously, not backhanding. _Oh no, no_. No, he took his left arm and swung back at her, she stumbled backwards, losing her balance and hit the wall painfully. I looked at him wide eyed then, but not in fear, in anger now. How dare he?! She was just sayin' something and he hit her. Maybe it was 'cause she was trying to save my life that I'm acting this way but oh well.

**"HEY!"**I yelled at him, bad move on my part but whatever. He looked back at me then, his head titled to the side as he quirked in eyebrow at me. Standing back up straight he looked down at me, I stared up and he seemed to get frustrated about something; what he saw that I didn't, I'm not sure. He reached down, grabbing my by the collar of my shift and yanked me to my feet then harshly. I glared at him, nearly snarling but then I noticed the hand that was on my collar also somehow still held the knife there as well, the knife sideways and against my neck slightly now.

**"Hmm."** Joker sounded interested now, but hey what do I know **"_Dark brown_."** Was he talking about the color of my eyes? He reached up with his other hand and cupped my face within it, his fingers pressing roughly into my skin as he held my head in place, with one swift move of the hand I'm sure he could snap my neck, forgetting about the knife for a moment or two. He turned my head to the side then to the other side before forgetting about my face and grabbed at my hair, yanking my head back, as my neck was exposed to the knife clearly now. I could still see him though, he looked at my hair as if studying it** "_Hmm. Ah ha._ _Blond_."** He muttered, chuckling lowly as if amused slightly by this **"_Dirty Blond_."**What was he talking about? The color of my hair now? He wasn't making sense...but hey, back at school, neither did I. Then he leaned over, staring at me, my gaze met his then. It was starting to hurt now, how he entangled his hand into my hair, yanking again as I made a small tiny sound this time. That seemed to amuse him. Then just like that...he let me go, I fell back to the floor and he stood there, hovering over before turning and stepping away, putting the knife into his pocket as Harley limped over to him.

**"M--Mr. J."** He looked over to her then annoyed, quirking an eyebrow.

**"What?" **He barked at her, not like a dog but you get the picture, she looked down over to me then back at him.

**"Coop needs some new clothes."** Harley spoke softly, that wasn't what she was gonna say, I could tell. The Joker looked from her to me, slowly walking over again at me, tilting his head to the side. He took off one of his purple gloves then, that hand now bare. He dabbed at his face slightly, some of his face paint coming off onto his finger, he looked at it then over at me. He leaned over at me, grabbing my face with his purple gloved hand **"Hey, hey, hey. Stay--Stay still."** He told me softly, then he growled at me, I tensed up and he took his bare hand and touched the right side of my face softly, gently as if working on some type of masterpiece then he grinned wide, laughing in delight at what he had apparently done. His hand there was beyond freezing cold against my skin. He then stood back up, stepping three steps back over to stand beside Harley again, sliding on his other purple glove, the hand coldly gloved once more.

I stared at him in confusion for a moment as he smiled at me **"_There_. All we need is a little more touch up. Don't cha think so, Harl?"** He looked over at her and she squealed, nodding, grinning ear-to-ear for some reason. I looked over to my side, seeing some broken mirror glass that was on the ground. _Yeah. That's 'totally' safe to have laying around but oh well._ I saw my reflection it. He had put on some of his face paint on me, my face white as snow in that particular spot.

**"Dennis. Jacko. Why don't you both make yourselves useful and take _Doll-face_here to the new play-room? Hmm?" **He looked at them with a sadistic grin; his oddly straight, yellow colored stained teeth showing as he did this; laughing hysterically as he and Harley just left the room as if nothing had happen. I quickly looked back then at the two guys who were coming at me now. My first reaction would to head butt _Blondie_, who apparently is Dennis, and kneel _Jack-ass_, who's really Jacko. Go figure. _That's just ironic._

I scattered to my feet quickly, the smell of matches being lit filled my nose now. I took a step back before Jacko went for me, I just made sure I let my right fist greet his face right away of course and then Dennis grabbed me from behind, well just to hold back confusion I'm gonna be nice and called them by their _real _names now, but he held onto me tight as I kicked my legs up in the air, trying to wiggle lose out of his grip and he just kept holding on tighter, dang it.

**"Let me go!"** Okay, even I know that was stupid to say. Yeah. Like he's *_really_* gonna let me go. But the words flew out of my mouth before I thought about it, 'kay? Jacko got back up to his feet fast, holding his nose in pain, yelling how I broke it and stuff like that. _Whatever_. He'd get over it.

Sadly for Dennis, he made the mistake of letting his hand try to cover my mouth to silence me, I bit down hard onto it and he screamed in pain then, dropping me and my body hit the ground, hard too. I groaned softly, my eye lids fluttering before I looked back only to see Dennis leaned against the wall, holding his hand, which was now bleeding to be quite honest and groaning in pain and frustration. Jacko over there yanked me up to the ground by my hair like the Joker had done. _Big_. _Mistake_.

I screamed at him, where that came from I don't know, but I just tackled him, beating my fists at his face as he then tried his best to shove me roughly to the side, I lost my balance slightly, my back hitting the other wall across from him. Dang it! That hurt! I could feel a stinging fiery like pain zipping all throughout my back, it hurt, it was much worse than getting stung by a bumble-bee.

A growl escaped my lips as I looked at him, it took a few moments before they were focused enough to come back over for me. Why did I not run? I really don't know to be quite honest. I just laid on the ground there, my back still to that wall. I looked up at them both quietly, my lips pressed together as I fumed, anger and rage set in my eyes. I knew my brown eyes had darkened cause I saw them stare for a moment in awe before both scowled in anger at me. Dennis reached for me, 'cause he's that stupid, and I snapped my teeth at his hand impulsively as I growled at him one last time. I was then yanked to my feet once more by Jacko, both grabbing at each of my arms and shoved me forward. _Apparently, taking me to this so-called new play-room. How. Wonderful._

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	9. Merry go round

**[A/N: Hope you enjoy this chap. :) *]**

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`Dennis threw, seriously, he threw me into the room; letting me hit the door, making it fly open due to the weight of little ol' me. I stumbled in, almost losing my balance as I did so, my eyes glancing around as I collected myself. There was a merry-go-round in the middle of the room that was on actually, lights blinking on and off and creepy carnival music playing loudly. The rest of the room was painted in purple, red and black. No happy colors were here. Dennis shoved me forward then, I growled, glaring back at him before walking forward, Jacko laughed loudly in amusement.

**"_Sit_."**Dennis barked at me, I shoved him back but he just glared at me, being childish I stuck my tongue out at him. I looked around, seeing if I knew where he was referring me to sit at but I just saw a large red cushioned oval shaped bed with a jester smiley face over head of it. How..._freaky_.

**"Sit--"** Dennis grabbed me by the arm, and I swat back at him, striking him across the face. He didn't like that to much, but at least I didn't do this to the Joker, right? I was beyond angry now, growling under my breath now.

**"Don't touch me!" **I screamed at him, going over to the oval red shaped chair, sitting down quickly and putting my legs up so I could hug my knees. My eyes casted down as I could hear Jacko and Dennis talking about something that the '_boss_' wanted. Then the sound of a door creaking open...then shut. I was alone now. At least for the time being. It made me feel sad though. I didn't like this.

The lights flickered and went off, so the only ones that still shined on was on the constant music playing merry-go-round in the middle of the room. I slowly slid sideways, laying my head on my arms as I was getting sleepy easily. Maybe it was the dark that was doing this to me. I stared with my eye-lids drooped at the blinking shiny lights that zipped around and the creepy carnival music echoing in my ears as I slid off into sleep land......

**"_Doll-face_."** It seemed like hours until I heard other noises but now something was calling my name...or at least I think it was my name** "_Dolly_."** I could hear the smacking of lips..._ew_. My eye lids were still drooped shut and I was still tired. I could hear myself whine softly, asking for five more minutes. But then I was roughly shoved back, I groaned and my eye-lids fluttered open. The first thing I saw was purple and green...then...*_him_*.

I screamed of course, back against the chair the best I could as I stared at him, my eye-lids fluttering and. He. Just. Grinned. At me. Well, actually he had a permanent grin but that's not important! He was kneeling, his arms folded at the edge of the chair and had his head resting down on his arms now, laughing quietly and darkly in amusement. See, didn't I say freaky and creepy?! _Told ya so._

**"Have a nice time sleepin'?"** He asked as if he were even interested** "Any good dreams?"**

I glared at him, looking away then, my blond hair shifting, now hiding my face like a curtain. He then leaned back a little, back up-straight and took a purple gloved hand, reaching over as I looked away, tucking my hair there behind my left ear there, actually stroking my face once before bringing back his hand, it now laying with the other. He smacked his lips once, and looked at me with drooped eye-lids. Then just like that, he stood back up on his feet, he tucked his hair behind his also white painted ears, licking his lips again as if they had dried up or something like that. He titled his head to side as if examining me once again, he cleared his throat and looked around. I took time to notice that the other lights were on and almost nearly perfect, no flickering or anything. He smoothed down the wrinkles in his jacket and pants with his purple gloved hands, then he looked at them.

**"_Hmm_."**He then took his teeth, digging at the fabric with them and slid off the right glove, stuffing it into his coat pocket there, then did the same with the other glove; stuffing it into the pocket and clapped his hands together, looking over at me now **"I like to do things _hand-on_ if you know what I mean."** He laughed loudly then seemed to scowl as he saw me still sitting, he reached over and yanked me off the chair roughly; setting me to my feet and kept a hold on me, by clamping a hand around my left forearm, dragging me off over to the merry go round and he yanked me over and sat me down on the swan-like seat there, apparently someone had turned off the merry-go-round earlier before I had awaken.

**"What are you doing?"** I finally asked as Joker reached over to buckle me in, my ears hearing the clicking of the belt, he pulled it tight to make sure it stayed. He finally looked over at me still with drooped eye-lids then stood back with a wide grin.

**"_We're gonna have some fun_._You're tonight's entertainment, Dolly_."**He told me before he clapped his hands together, the lights in the room shutting off so the room was pitch black before the merry-go-round lights flickered back on and the thing actually started to move, around and around. The name of the ride definitely did its justice. He seemed to disappear in the darkness, even with the sparkling lights from the merry-go-round. I was getting dizzy on this thing. Wa--Was it going faster? The carnival music made my hands start to shake, a railing was going down on the ride, why did I need a railing on here? My hair was plastered against my face now, my hands were still shaking but then I gripped down on the railing bar, clenching. I also noticed in this moment of time that I needed to re-paint my nails again but that's not important!

I bended my head down as my eye lids quickly fluttered shut, but then this sound filled my ears besides the dark carni music playing loudly...

_CLINK! CLINK!_

Was that nails and screws popping off? I quickly re-opened my eye lids and looked to my far right the best I could..._oh yeah_. They were flying off into the darkness. I don't think that's a good thing either. The ride was going at rapid speed, then just like that, the swan like seat I was in flew off the merry-go-round. _So yeah_. I was then officially in mid-air within major danger zone. For those sickos out there, that little '_major danger_' rhyming thing. Is. Not. FUNNY! But hey, you can't spell slaughter without laughter...nor can you spell balloon without loon but hey, I'm not judging, you people who I know are laughing are judging! So, don't make me show you a magic trick!

**"OH MY GO--"**That's as far as I got as I went mid air across the room, covering my face as I could hear the window--there were windows?--anyhoo, something covered in black busted in, the window glass shattering and then somehow the railing screws apparently went off so the railing flicked off with a '_ding_' like noise and then I re-opened my eyes, my hands still shaking as I tired to...well never mind, I was already slipping out. Thanks, sickos! Anyhoo, there I went slipping out still in the danger zone of course. I was tackled still mid-air!, by that black figure from before and slammed into a purp...well I think it was purple, cushioned couch thing, I groaned loudly this time in pain as I turned on my back, seeing the dark figure hovering over..._The Dark Knight. It was Batman. _

**"Stay here." **He, assuming that He *is* a HE, which just makes an ass out of me as him too, told me before jumping off the couch and running out of the room to do whatever he does best, I sat up and hopped off the couch like object.

**"_The hell I am_."**I muttered annoyed now highly, how dare he leave me alone in this freak...I heard the loudest noise coming close, I looked up and quickly jumped as far as I could away, hitting the ground and covering my face as the swan like seat I HAD been on crashed into the ground, cracking the marble tiled floor. I could hear the carni music now stuttering as if the record was scratched or something. _Broken_.

Not cool, man! Not! COOL! This was just messed up but oh well...it was fun though I had to admit. My feet shuffling, and I ran out of the room, trying to see in the darkness. Luckily, in the hallway there was lights...well, they were flickering but hey, they were still on. I made my way down before a arm flew out, so yeah, I fell back, my back hitting the ground painfully. The light got in my eyes so I had to squint and I could see Dennis there, he had hit my head mostly with his arm **"Never start with the head, dude. The victim gets all..._fuzzy_." **My stomach was churning now, and a headache was brewing but instead Dennis yanked me to my feet.

**"We're leaving."** He told me, dragging me down the hallway, I chuckled in amusement, nearly mocking him of course.

**"_We?_"** I asked, really expecting no answer and that's exactly what I got.

**"Boss said to keep you safe so that's what I'm doing."** He grunted out, clearing his throat once loudly.

**"_Aww, you *do* care, Den_."** I mocked him **"_That means a lot. I'm sorry for being mean_." **I took my free hand and patted at my chest slightly, right over where my heart was **"_That hits me right here, man. Right. Here_."** I nodded along with my words just to be even more insulting, he glared at me, yanked me roughly forward, in front of me he shoved me even more. Did he have anger management problems or something?

I rolled my eyes annoyed, my eye lids fluttered shut again, my movements stopped and I stood frozen as Dennis tried to shove me forward again, I turned and around, lifting my left leg and...well yeah, I kicked him right in the chest and he went skidding back, hitting the ground painfully. I was so proud of my self but anyhoo, I ran over, grabbing the keys that were at his buckle **"_Love ya, babe. Call me_."** I told him quickly with a wide grin before running back down the hallway and out the main door, I could see the same black van before. But it was turned the other way...now I could see what It read on the side...in bold white letters: _Arkham Asylum_'. Well, readers at home or wherever you are, may be questioning now: Is Jessie going to try to drive? Well...I'm gonna *_TRY_*. Doesn't mean I won't drive into a telephone poll or something, I'm not promising anything. Well, I was only a year away from getting my driver's license...if I did get my driver's license that is, but I was fifteen. _Where's the harm in having some fun after a kidnap?_

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	10. Driving in Gotham

**[A/N: Hope you enjoy this chap. :) *]**

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`I opened up the driver's door and had to grab onto a railing on the side to get fully inside the vehicle, even at the age of fifteen I wasn't that tall...yet. At least I hoped so but that wasn't important at the moment. I had no idea where my backpack was nor my knives but oh well. I'd find something later. The rain was starting to pour down outside, gently and quietly at first before it all poured down as if to flood the earth. I quickly shut the driver door. I shivered once, vibes going all throughout my hands. It was really cold in here for some reason. Maybe no one turned on the heat earlier. I could barely see out the front of the Arkham Asylum van's windshield, it was pouring down fast, diving down from the clouds at rapid pace. I could hear the clutter clatter noises of them falling onto the black van. I flipped my hair back once before putting the main key to the van holey thingy, I really didn't care how you said the word right now. The engine rumbled alive, stuttering at first then full gear. Thank goodness. I had a side-ways grin on my lips now, this was good. Now for the main event. Trying to drive. Notice how I said '_trying_'. Anyhoo.

My shoes squeaked as I slid them up to the van pedals, sliding my right foot over to the gas pedal, I wasn't sure if this was the right foot I was supposed to be using but oh well. What cop was gonna pull over a Arkham Asylum van? _Well_...probably all of them but yeah. Still most of my hair was plastered against my face but I could still flip back some of it, that had to count for something. I pressed down on the pedal there and the van moved forward, I jumped and it jerked to a stop as my other foot hit the other pedal. I covered my mouth with my hands as I jumped, then giggled as if it were humorous. I couldn't help it. Then slowly I slid my hands back on the van steering wheel, pressing down again on the gas pedal. Going slow at first, taking a sharp right and actually making it, even if the van did tilt to the side. I was moving away from the odd abandoned play-house back there. Where was Joker or Harley? Did they plan this?

I then got a little excited, pressing much more down on the gas pedal, the speed moniter rising higher as the van went faster. I was getting a little to excited, but I wanted to see how fast as Arkham Asylum van could go...so, yeah. You see the problem. I turned the wheel to the right as far as I could get it without making the van go into a skid. Why was it raining?! Oh well. I kept it on the right side of the road...I think. I had to sit really up straight to see if I was on the right side then. Yeah. I was good for now. I kept driving as best as I could, taking a left then and that's when this happened...

A fire-truck was laid on it's side and it was, ironically enough, on fire there was two dead fire-men laying on the ground, this made me shake and when I shake, my hands move so the wheel moved to the far-left and I lost control, the van going into a skid, going to the far-left from the flaming fire-truck; hitting a pole, denting it until it stopped just like that a few feet down from the fire truck down the road. I looked up then, re-opening my eye-lids now as I stared around wide-eyed. Holy crow. The driver side of the van opened up then and there was a smiling Joker, my eyes widened even more if that was possible.

**"Hi, can I drive?"**He asked before knocking me on the head with a but of a shot-gun that I had noticed he had in his left hand seconds before. I slumped down and that was the last thought I had before re-awakening, after what seemed to be hours to me, sitting in the passenger side seat. I groaned softly, my eye-lids fluttering shut then re-opening but still drooped, my eyes casted over to the left at the driver's side. There was the Joker driving away, and I looked to the front then, through the windsheild only to see red and blue lights reflecting him them. Huh?

I, forgetting about my headache and possible concussion, and looked around the seat I was in, through the back van window. Seeing about four to five cop cars going at full speed after us, and by '_us_', I mean the Joker who was now driving the Arkham Asylum van here.

**"We uh--"** The Joker licked his lips once as I looked over at him, he looked at me with a mocking apologetic face **"We ran into a few..._distractions_ earlier, but uh--we're uh fine now." **

**"We. Have. Cop. Cars** **chasing this van down."** I spoke slowly, raising my eye-lids up a little now, ignoring the fact his eyes were away from the road now!, leaning my head up and off the chair head-rest **"_Physco clown_." **

**"Did you call me a clown?"**He asked this as if I had insulted him, turning the wheel to the far-right; taking a sharp turn then; I fell off my chair then, clutching onto the Joker's purple coat now for support as my eyes peaked over the bottom of the windshield, noticing there was a block squad there in line from GCPD. I slowly looked back at the Joker wide-eyed. W--Was he going to try to get past THEM? I noticed the shot gun was on the van floor now and had slid back to the two metal closed doors.

**"_You're crazy_."** I whispered, still staring at the cops in front of us that held in a line, thinking they'd stop the Joker.

**"_That's *funny* 'cause that's exactly what six out of five doctors said at Arkham_."** He giggled out, twisting the wheel to the side slightly as he was nearly jumping up and down on the driver seat now. We were getting so close to them. I quickly covered my eyes with my jacket long sleeves, as my hands were now hidden within the sleeves. This wasn't gonna end well...

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	11. So called safety

**[A/N: I do hope you all enjoy this chap., not my best but I hope you like as said~~reviews are most welcomed :D *] **

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`I ducked behind the driver seat then, hanging onto the driver seat, screaming at the top of my lungs as I felt the van going faster than before and then my ears were flooded with the sound of loud metallic screeching, and the tears were warm against my skin as they ran down my face in a stream. My screams were starting to stutter in hiccups as I re-opened my eye lids. I could feel us, well...the van tilting on the side, only on two wheels. My body slid down the van as I tried to hold onto the driver seat in fear. Then the van titled back down on all four as it drive on at rapid speed. Manic laughter that echoed flooded my ears now, the sound nearly making me deaf. I wiped the tears off my face with one of my coat sleeves, making the tears stained slightly as I moved around the driver's seat, looking out the front windshield but then the van started to skid, I didn't even have time to look to see the Joker as I slid forward quickly and harshly, my face connecting with the dash board like thing and I slumped to the van floor once again unconscious.

The next thing I heard was police sirens. This was odd...the van wasn't moving anymore. Everything was still and nearly calm. I could hear the soft thud of something splattering onto the floor then, my eye-lids fluttered open then and took one long blink before staying open. My head hurt and it was throbbing with a loud banging noise. I flipped over quickly, groaning in pain as I laid on my back, turning my head to the left to look past the driver seat at the door that was now being open. That's when I saw Gordon there looking as if he had just ran in marathon or something, then his face seemed to pale slightly as he saw me. He had worried written all over his face, he quickly turned to look at some other people, probably cops that worked for him

"**It's Jessica Hilton!" **He yelled **"I found her!" **Then he looked back at me, getting into the van, not caring at the ambulance was here now, had they known someone was hurt? I could hear the ambulance sirens and police sirens blending together now slightly. Gordon truly did not seem to care, as he then reached over, picking me up gently in his arms** "It's okay. It's okay. You're safe now, Jess. You're safe."**_Safe._ Was I really safe now? I don't think I'll ever have that feeling again...did I ever? He whispered these words of affection to me in comfort, as he he could see my cringe of pain on my face as he picked me up, twisting around with me still in his arms and stepped out of the van. He carried me over quickly to one of the Ers from the ambulance, handing me over and then I was carried up into the back of the ambulance. Laid down on the stretcher there, I could still hear Gordon still talking **"Make sure she's in her own room, I don't want anyone bothering her, and make sure the doctors and nurses do their job then scat out! This is Jessica Hilton, let them know Gordon's on his way to the hospital asap!" **Then he was gone and I saw through my now blurred vision the ambulance doors shutting. I hadn't took any time to see what was outside as I was being carried, I was too tired. But I knew my nose was bleeding, the blood dripping down my lips now, down my chin and onto my jacket, staining.

I felt my head droop to the side then and I was out like a light just as before when I hit my head on the dashboard or whatever. The next thing I knew I heard beeping noises and my eye lids flickered open, my brown eyes darkening and my vision was perfect now. _Hospital_...I was at the hospital, right? Yeah. My head no longer hurt and my right hand was numb, I tilted my head to the side as I look at my hand there. There was an IV needle in it and it was taped down securely. I also saw a heart machine near by with a breathing machine. I moved back head back up right then on a nice comfy pillow that I just took notice of. My nose twitched and I cringed as I felt something in my nose, my eye-lids drooped as I looked down. They had that breathing thing in there, I had seen it many times before when my mom brought me here...when she was alive. We came here a lot then for some reason. She always had bruises. So did I.

My teeth were chattering now so I had to clench them together before parting them, the chattering stopped and I licked my lips once before growling slightly as I sat up in the bed, my back and head off the big fluffy pillow. The stupid IV needle was starting to bother me now, I wanted to rip it out. I didn't care if it would hurt. I just wanted the blasted thing out of me and more than a hundred feet away from me. I. Did. Not. Like. Needles.

Out of the room's window thing over there I could see doctors and nurses, and some orderlies talking and walking everywhere. Buzzing about like insects. So-called civilized people. I saw a frilly little nurse walk into the room then, the door shutting close behind her and she had a clipboard in hand. She was blond. What a surprise. Well...I was blond to but dirty blond...she was like, frilly and girly stupid blond, no offense.

"**Hi there. My name's Becka and you're..." **She looked down at the clipboard and looked back up then at me with a gentle girly smile** "**_**Jessica Hilton**_**." **Really. I hadn't noticed.

I decided to amuse myself then **"**_**Hi.**_**"** I grinned all friendly and innocently, adding a blush. My hair was still in a pony-tail.

She walked over to me then, brushing a loose lock of my hair behind my left ear. I had to resist the urge to twitch then, I didn't like it when people touched me. Like back when I was being carried from that blasted van, I would have clawed their eyes out if I had been coherent. Well...maybe not Gordon. I kinda liked Gordon to be honest. He was nice. One of the few.

"**Are you alright?" **She asked me in a gentle tone of concern

I nodded once

"**Okay. I'm going to check your IV status and blood pressure then leave you so you can have some sleep, 'kay?" **_Becka _did just like she said she would and left, I sighed in relief then took off the tape over my right hand off slowly and then slid the needle out, cringing and my nose twitched as I saw blood dripping out of the small stab hole there, I put the needle over on a table at the side and then looked around for some cotton or something, bandages. Blood was still dripping, and I grabbed a lone bandage over where the needle was, dabbing at the blood and then holding it down to stop the bleeding. I felt dizzy but I didn't care. After the bleeding stopped but a bruise formed I flipped the blanket covers back and slid off the hospital bed.

Apparently they had switched me out into a hospital night gown now, which made me feel uncomfortable now for some reason, I walked over to where a blue hospital robe hung and yanked it off, sliding it on and tying the blue belt that was looped around it. I held the bandage still on my hand though, the bruise turning from blue to purple and green. Ew. I went over by the door, looking out the window, making sure no one was paying attention right now. I had to time it perfect. I wasn't staying here. I couldn't.

I slowly opened up the door and stepped out out, turning left and running down the abandoned hallway barefoot and turned a corner just as I could see Gordon walking over to my hospital room, which was now empty of course. I pressed the down elevator door, waiting impatiently as the elevator started to move down each floor slowly. I looked down the hallway only to see Gordon running out of my hospital room yelling **"Where is she? Where's Jessica Hilton?"** He was asking that blond nurse and a doctor. Forget the elevator. I dashed down the other hallway to the stairwell, opening the door that said fire escape and going through it to the stairs and the door slammed shut behind me with a loud bang. I ran quickly down the first flight of stairs breathing harshly and coughing a few times, nearly tripping on the stairs a few times as I got the bottom floor finally. I could hear the same door slamming shut up at the floor stairs up there where I once was. They knew.

I ran out the other fire escape door that led outside of the hospital and then down the short set of steps there, my hands sliding down the metal railings and then I ran across the back parking lot, not caring my feet were hurting due to the rough gravel that scraped at them. I was in a panic now. It was still raining and thundering then. I ran down a sidewalk, heading across another parking lot away from the hospital. I didn't even seem to notice the empty police cars near by as I ran full speed._ Heading out into the darkness barefoot and soaking wet with the rain flooding down on Gotham City. I just kept running. _

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	12. Shadowed Ice Memories

**[A/N: The slanted italics part in the middle is a memory for you readers, enjoy~~hope you like this chapter*]**

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`I tried my best to stay warm, clutching the blue robe tighter to my body. Seriously, I looked like a mental patient that had just escaped from Arkham or something. Not a good thing. The rain was coming down and I was getting all wet. This set a scowl of annoyance on my lips, I slipped one hand out to wipe at my face. My mascara that I had been wearing was running now down my face slightly, making long streaks of black probably. Three streaks as I traced them, the black staining on my finger tips there.

I tucked the hand back underneath as I hugged myself, walking down the sidewalk there. My bare-feet were probably bruised and slightly cut due to the gravel rocks everywhere. My tongue flicked out and licked my lips once more before sliding back into my mouth, I hadn't noticed this until a moment later. As if I had done it on impulse. _Odd_.

It was starting to rain ice, which wasn't a good thing cause that made the stuff I walked on slippery and I'd fall or trip, and stuff. Stupid ice. But it was fun to munch on for fun sometimes! I nearly growled under my breath then in annoyance.

The areas behind my ears were hurting and the side of my head was too, the pain from my nose had stopped now. There were hidden bruises under this hospital robe and nightgown. Had the Doctors and nurses seen? Would they report it? That didn't matter though...not right now at least. There was a burning sensation on my neck now, then I slumped to the side, luckily there was a wall there and I slid down to the ground, still hugging myself. Hair plastering to my face and my stomach was churning, I was getting queazy. My eye lids fluttered slightly...

**0000**

"_**I do all the work here!" **Jessie Hilton's adoptive father yelled loudly, slamming his fist down on a table, making glass plates fall off the table and shatter loudly into thousands of pieces on the ground. Jessica's adotive mother was on the ground now, a nasty bruise forming on her right cheek now. Five year old Jessie was watching from afar, in the living room around a corner, poking her little head out. _

"_**I—I'm sorry." **Her mother muttered, her voice breaking in fear as Jessie's adoptive dad moved around the table, nearly flipping it over as he neared the woman on the ground. Grabbing her by her hair and slinging her back down to the ground with his fist. Was this how a 'real' man acted? Did it make him feel like one? Why was it that...men always seemed to cause pain? That's what little Jessie was silently wondering over there as she watched in horror. Watching...seeing how daddy abused mommy. _

"_**Who pays the bills?! Huh?!" **He slugged her again, this time mommy didn't sit back up but just laid there sprawled out on the floor sobbing loudly, her hair plastered against her face as tears streamed down her cheeks, following onto her faded blue dress. Anger in his eyes as he had his right hand in the form of a fist. He hovered over his wife, whom was still on the ground sobbing. _

"_**Leave Mommy alone!" **Jessie screamed as she ran out from around the corner, standing in the middle of the living room. Her blond hair over her shoulders, hiding her left eye as she wore her nightgown that had pretty flowers on it, nice violet and white. She was barefoot as well. _

_Her father's eyes widened in shock at first before he snapped his gaze over to Jessie, her mother's head turned too; both staring at Jessie in shock and fear at the same time. _

"_**Jessie...No..." **Her mother sobbed, her eye lids fluttering shut as she cried, hoping her daughter would run to her room now. Away from this monster. _

"_**Jessie." **Her father neared her now, away from his wife towards the girl "**How long have you been spyin' on Daddy and Mommy, princess?" **He was getting so close and little Jessie was getting scared by the second, backing up away from her 'Daddy'. Her sparkling brown eyes dazzled in fear as they widened, her ruby colored lower lip trembling slightly now. Her tiny hands forming into fists, but were shaking. That's when 'Daddy' lunged at her and she dashed to the left, running around the couch and down the hallway but Daddy caught her right away. _

"_**Princess, don't run from Daddy." **Then he yelped in pain, dropping the child, whom landed harshly on the ground, whimpering in pain** "You little brat!" **Blood dripped from the wound on his right hand and down to the carpet hallway floor. Sh—She bit him! That little defying child. But then Little Jessie scurried to her feet and ran full speed to her bedroom as her Daddy was hot on her heels, so to speak. But her bedroom door had already slammed and was lock. She backed away from it as she saw the wooden door start to shake now, Daddy's fist was banging on it from the other side violently. She could hear Mommy's sobs getting louder, did the nice lady down in the apartment across theirs hear? Jessie really hoped she did. Then she and Mommy could go and live somehwere else...far away from mean Daddy. _

"_**Jessie, open up this damn door, girl!" **He yelled, the door shaking even more rapidly now "**Don't make Daddy really upset with you, Princess. Daddy only wants to see you smile, sweetheart...Open. The. Door." **He whispered darkly, knowing she could hear him. Little five year old Jessie dashed over into a corner, dragging her purple blankie with her too. Wrapping herself with it so she was warm, just staring at the rattling door, tuning out Daddy's mean words now. She bit her lower lip as her eye lids drooped slightly, her hands shaking. The poor thing was still trembling in fear. Why couldn't he just leave? Didn't Mr. Falcone and Mr. Garcia say he'd disappear if he stayed the way he was? Hmm. Daddy hurt Mommy. Daddy hurt her. That's all Daddy knew how to do...hurt people..._

_**0000**_

Now, after coming back into reality I could hear noises flooding my ears. Was that a police siren? I looked then with my blurred vision through the rain and ice down the street there. Maybe that was Gordon and his men...of course. _Then my eye lids fluttered shut once more._

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	13. Just a normal day in Gotham

**[Disclaimer: I own _NONE _of James Bond, Gomez Addams or Pierce Brosnan; whom are all mentioned in this chapter, I do not gain a profit from this, it's only for entertainment for you all readers are there to enjoy and I hope you truly do :) I only own my OCs, and like _Mr. Antonio Garcia_, whom we'll be seeing a lot of, he's just coming out of the shadows now...at least in the story I mean~~**

**A/N: Hope you're enjoying the story, folks; if you have any comments, questions or ideas, reviews are gladly welcomed :D _Now, let's put a smile on that face-uh_ :) *]**

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_`...3 months later..._

It had been three months since everything had happened. Three months since my mom died. Three months since I was kidnapped. Gordon didn't really like the fact that I had ran away from the hospital neither. He had told me he was gonna put me in a set of handcuffs or something. He was joking of course. Trying to show some comedy relief as Commissioner. Now though, I lived at this weird house that belongs to some couple named Jeremiah and Noelle Arkham. But of course, ironically enough, they work at Arkham Asylum. Mr. Arkham was the most up-tight, shirt tucked in, judging narcissistic jerk of a man I have ever met, but that's just what I think. Mrs. Arkham was smothering, she hovered too much. Also, it had been three months and the GCPD had Harley Quinn back in Arkham once again, and there had been no sight or word from the Joker. And tomorrow was Halloween.

**"_Jessica!_" **Noelle Arkham's voice rang from downstairs, I was laying on my bed with a pen in hand and my journal in front of me. Yeah. I had a journal. 'Cause I'm freakin' awesome like that. I titled my head to the side, tucking a loose lock of hair behind my right ear; simply laying on my stomach. I was gonna try to ignore her but when I heard my name called again, I sighed and rolled off the bed, giggling slightly before grabbing my journal and putting it under my new bought bed and got up to my feet. Walking over to the door, I licked my lips once then turned off the light. The sound of my own feet clattering softly on the steps as I raced down, into the living room then. The good thing about this place was that they had a screen TV. It was new too.

**"What?" **I asked, not even bothering to be polite, perhaps she deserved it but what was she doing home? Didn't she work today like Mr. Arkham did. Tomorrow was Halloween. Maybe she got off or something. She looked at me with a wide grin and held out a puffy pink dress thing.

**"I got your costume."** She said to me with her grin getting wider by the second. She. Could. Not. Be. Serious. Could she?!

**"_No_."** It was one easy answer just like that

**"_Yes_."** She nodded, frowning at me now with annoyance. Dude. What part of N and O did she not get?! Ya know what? I'm gonna just freak her out now. _Just to get a reaction._

**"I wanna dye my hair."** Totally going random, kinda. She stared at me first in awe but quirked her eyebrow, now acting like the so-called professional doctor she was.

**"If I may ask, what color would you want to dye your hair, Jessica?"** Even as many times I have told her to call me Jessie or Jess, she refuses to do so right now. I grinned ear-to-ear though.

**"_Greeeeeeen_." **I cooed softly, biting the left side of my lower lip in amusement, watching her look like she wanted to twitch but then looked at me in suspicion. I need where her mind was racing to, her thoughts scrambling around in jumpy little conclusions and judging. I giggled at the end. I just went so O.O.C there but I really don't care.

**"Why? You said you hated the color green."** She assumed once again, and you know what happens when you assume, readers.

**"So?"** I asked, quirking an eyebrow, going over to my report card then which was over by the wooden table, and then handed it to her **"_Here_." **Dr. Arkham here took one quick look at it, mostly at the date stamped on the carrier which was in big, red, bold letters.

**"This is three weeks old, Jessica!"** She slid out the report card from the carrier and flipped it open, reading quickly and eyes widening.

**"You got As and Bs. I thought you only had Cs..."** I turned my back to her as I started to walk away, I was that confident.

**"_You underestimated me_."** I whispered loud enough for her to hear before walking up the stairs; heading back up to my bedroom.

_**"Meanwhile at Gotham City Docks.."**_

`Antonio Garcia was a man of power, wealth, crime and so much more than just that. He now stood beside a wooden bench, staring at the small waves that steadied in the water only so far away. It sparkled. Hmm. Mr. Garcia was wearing a very nice expensive tailored suit, looking a lot like Gomez Addams to be quite honest, suit wise I mean, if you meant physical...well, to make it simple he looked like a evil version of James Bond or Pierce Brosnan. Anyhoo, He had his left hand in his pocket, his right hand holding his also so expensive cigarette, then slid the cigarette between his lips, taking in a deep breath before taking the cigarette out once more. He blew out some smoke, which defiled the air, not that it wasn't defiled already. This was Gotham City were talking about. He also had on a black trench coat over his expensive suit, it was quite chilly this morning. Absolutely freezing. Ice stuck on some crates near by, Garcia's breath could be seen in the air along side the dark colored smoke that had been delivered by a simple inhalation of a cigarette. A young boy, probably not even the age of twenty yet came running up to Garcia then, whom didn't even acknowledge the boy.

**"Mr. Garcia, Boss, I came as fast as I could."** The boy was quick to make an excuse.

**"_Of course you did_." **Was Garcia mocking him? He took in another intake of cigarette smoke as the cancer stick slid into his mouth, laying in-between his lips.

**"Yo--You said ya had a job for me, Boss?"** The kid asked with a slight hint of joy gleaming in his eyes, so young and naive. Did he not know what happened when you got involve with these kinds of people? And in Gotham City no less? _That fool._

**"Yes, I do, Robert. A girl. Her name is Jessica Hilton. Follow her without being seen nor heard, but do not touch her. _Understand_."** It was a command, not a request. And yet, still Garcia didn't even look at the boy until now, slowly almost in a frightening way. Antonio Garcia was a man of persuasion and manipulation, he was very intimidating. Robert, as Garcia had called him, nodded quickly with a near grin.

**"And the next time you are late. You won't lose your job, Robert. _Oh no_. You'll lose something much more valuable than just that, something that would be very soon misplaced. And whatever would I do without my errand boy." **Garcia smudged his cigarette down on a crate, ashes dusting onto it then he threw it onto the ground, stepping on it with his sparkly black dress shoes as he walked away from Robert, it was beginning to get windy and sunny. No need for him to be here for that, open and exposed to get mugged or shot at. It was just another day in Gotham City of course. Just another day. Remember, it only takes one bad day._ And if Robert there wasn't careful...his bad day would be coming up quick._

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	14. This is Halloween

**[A/N: Yay, it's Halloween...well it is right now in Gotham City...in my story :D wonder what's gonna happen with Jessie on this fine night; hope you all enjoy this chapter; as said reviews are certainly welcomed and loved*]**

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`I was in the blue and green colored room, the floor tiled sea blue and the walls milky green. And there I was standing before the sink, my costume hanging up on a hanger behind me on the towel rack. I licked my lips before looking down at the makeup and face paint objects I had laying in the empty sink and grabbed a random piece. _Red face-paint._ I dabbed my left hand middle finger in the red paint, while holding it in my left hand. Then smeared it over my lips, the upper then lower before rubbing my lips together and smiling. My lips smeared with a dark color. _Just like rubies._

Then I set it back down into the sink before grabbing another object, yeah, it'd probably would have been smart to put on my costume first but I wanted to get the hard part done first. Now, let's see. I held a eye-shadow kit now. Hmm. There was red, green, blue, pink, black and purple. I grabbed took the small dabbing tool in there and pressed it into the black eyeshadow, then closed my eye lids, not caring if I messed up but put on the black eye shadow, re-opening my eye lids after I was finished there. Hmm. Not enough.

I threw the eye-shadow kit back into the sink then grabbed the black face-paint. Using my left hand finger tips to dab some on before just smearing it a little, but carefully and slowly, taking the small make-up tool thing and smeared some of it down in a line, like it had went down my face, like how mascara does when you cry or your eyes get wet, drains down slightly, right? Yeah.

It looked nice so far. I stared at myself for a few moments. Earlier I already put on the green 24-hour hair spray in my hair, and now it was curled just slightly and dirty green but had some light tint of blond. It seemed that I hadn't gotten it everywhere. _Oh well_.

My right hand laid back down the make-up tool into the marble sink with the other objects. Where was that white face-paint powder stuff?

_Noelle_ would be livid with me, and _Dr. Jeremiah Arkham_ would be disgusted. I didn't care, it was Halloween and I could be anything I wanted. Back in the Narrows, I hardly ever went trick-or-treating due to living in the bad part of the Narrows, near Arkham, but mostly all of the Narrows was bad, dangerous to be in. I looked at my nails then, away from the mirror. I needed to paint them but first, the powder.

After I got all my make-up and face paint on, I grinned ear-to-ear. I did a pretty darn good job without any help from anyone. I stretched then, quickly snapping my head to the left, hearing some bones crack but then sighed and grabbed the black nail polish. I twirled off the top of it, the brush and stroked each nail on each of my fingers, right hand first then left. Black gleamed off of them each. I was so proud of myself. And I also had my ears dabbed with white powder too, made my face more white-sheet pale.

Then I twirled the top brush back on and grabbed all the make-up somehow, dropping a few things and then placed what I had into the make-up carrier basket then grabbed the fallen pieces and slid them in too. As I was on my knees now, kneeling on the marble tiled floor, I glanced up at my costume.

It was really nice. A dark purple colored trench coat with a checkerboard like texture on the inside, it was silk and pretty. Then there was my vest shirt, it was black and was slightly low-cut but that was the point, and it would show my stomach too, I knew this. Then there were dark purple suspenders as well, pants same color that they latched onto. And against the wall was my nice pair of black knee-length boots, like the ones in the army, and my funky colored stripped socks laying over the top of them.

All that was missing was my silk tie. Where did I put that thing again? My eyes casted around the room then I saw the green silk tie laying beside the bathroom door. I crawled over and grabbed it before standing back up to my feet. Time to put on my costume, not caring that the make-up and face-paint might smear even more. It was Halloween after all.

_**~Meanwhile at Bruce Wayne's penthouse apartment~**_

Bruce Wayne, Billionaire Play-boy, was fixing his tie as he stared at himself in the mirror that hung on the wall, behind him stood his butler and surrogate father, Alfred Pennyworth, whom was holding a silver tray with tea cups on top and a tea pot beside it.

"**Alfred, have you hear anything from Fox?"** Bruce asked as he tried his best to fix his once-again ruined tie, Alfred sighed and set the silver tray down on top of a empty table before going over to Bruce.

"**May I, Master Bruce?"** He gestured to the tie, and Bruce nodded once before moving his hands away and Alfred fixed it. Perfectly. He smiled then and stepped back.

"**Thank you, Alfred." **Bruce cleared his throat once before looking back at the mirror then back to Alfred

"**No, I haven't heard from Mr. Fox lately. Why? Is something wrong?" **He asked **"Not to be a curious snoop though." **

"**_Not yet_." **He walked off into the living room area then, reaching over to grab the remote off the couch he had and turn the screen TV on, Alfred behind him, now carrying the silver tray with tea once more. He was a Butler after all.

As the TV woke up, on the screen it showed the News Channel. Some newscaster was talking about the weather, which Bruce didn't pay much mind on until when Alfred handed him a cup with tea in it.

"**And on other news, it seems the Joker has been sighted after three months of silence." **The newscaster spoke so calmly though **"Exactly three months ago, the Joker and his partner, Harley Quinn, formally known as Harleen Quinzel, former Doctor as Arkham Asylum and also took care of the Joker for a particular time period, both of them kidnapped a young girl named Jessica Hilton, who now resides with Dr. Noelle and Dr. Jeremiah Arkham in downtown Gotham City. More to come later on after this break."**Then the screen changed to a commercial.

_Well. _That certainly got Bruce's attention.

Bruce looked over at Alfred then, who was now just looking away from the TV to his employer.

"**Alfred, did you know anything about this?" **

"**It was mentioned before by Commissioner Gordon from the GCPD but all I know is that the young girl..._Jessica Hilton_."** Alfred told him**"She has a connection with the two. Those two being as said Joker and Harley Quinn, sir."**

"**Anything else you'd like to tell me now?" **Bruce laid his cup back down on the silver tray, which Alfred then sat down on top of a table beside the couch, Bruce was already walking out of the room as Alfred followed.

"**Sir, if I may ask, what are you planning to do?"**He asked, his shoulders tensing slightly as he asked, knowing full well what Bruce Wayne was capable...but what was the Batman fully capable of? Batman had no limitations, this said by Bruce Wayne himself.

"**I'm gonna go to Fox, Alfred, then find out more about why the Joker kidnapped this Hilton girl. Joker doesn't just kidnap someone because he can. He does it to get a reaction. He wants to get me wired up so I'll come after him, hunt him down."**

"**What if the G.C.P.D get you this time, sir?" **Bruce didn't even look back as he pressed the down button on the elevator and the button lit up, the elevator would get here soon.

"**They won't. I need to find out why the Joker did this, for Jessica Hilton." **

**"Need to find out for whom, Master Bruce? Is it** **for her...or for you?"**

Bruce ignored the comment **"Alfred, sometimes I have to do what I do to protect others."**Bruce said then as the elevator doors opened in front of him and he stepped in, turning around to face Alfred who was still in the apartment.

"**And then I must ask once again, what are you planning to do, Master Wayne?" **Alfred had to ask

"**I'll be back later, Alfred. Don't wait up for me." **Then the elevator doors shut close, Bruce now out of his view and gone. Alfred sighed in worry and disappointment, he didn't know exactly what his employer would do. But it would not end well...either for them or for Bruce...this Alfred did not know.

**0000**


	15. Nothing's safe any more

**{A/N: Here's the next chapter, Mr. J just won't leave Jessie alone; but hope you enjoy :D *} **

**0000**

`I walked down the stairs, making sure I landed on each step softly, no creaking was heard at all and I hopped off then as I was only about three steps away from the marble floor. My feet shuffled to the left and I entered the living room, there was _Noelle _with her little camera and when she turned around she nearly jumped in place, shivering she tried her best to smile. Maybe she was like nervous or something, but I didn't really care on how SHE felt.

"**You look very nice in your costume." **_Noelle_ nodded to the outfit I wore then took a few steps forward, towards me **"My husband Jeremiah, had to go to work tonight so I guess I'll have to take the pictures." **She held up the blue camera, probably bought it from Target or something.

I bit the side of my lip but then sighed, rolling my eyes and flipping my hair back before putting a hand on my hip **"I'm ready."** And I smiled and she held the camera up, one finger over the silver button and then pressed down on it, the flash showed and made me see spots for a few moments. For some reason I wanted to lay back down in bed and not wake up but I turned around and grabbed my little paper bag carrier,_ Noelle_ quickly scampered over to me then, I sighed and looked at her. Her lips trembled with the smile that tried its best to hold in place, but she wasn't_ that_ perfect.

"**_You're not coming._" **I told her but she smiled at me, that comment could be taken the wrong way but hey, whatever.

"**Gordon's going to be watching you, okay? I don't want you out past nine, okay?" **

"**It's gonna be nine in thirty minutes!"** I protested, looking at the clock then back at her

"**Ten then. Till Ten." **She told me, nearly reaching over to tuck some hair behind my left hair and I twitched slightly. She was startin' to tick me off

"**Ever notice how you're overbearing, Doc?"** I went over to the door before she could say something and un-tucked my hair, leaving the house and slamming the door shut behind me. Shivering once, relieved I was out of that house as I walked down the few steps and took a left down the sidewalk. It was gonna be a very long night.

After a while of ringing doorbells, I got bored and was now officially in downtown Gotham City, thousands of kids really walking around with parents, some without. Rain, luckily, wasn't coming down tonight and it was just really windy, and it was Halloween so it was to be expected. My green feathery hair moved with the wind but not by much, I could see lights nearly on everywhere tonight. Made it look like night. I tried my best not to pay attention to the police car pulling up on the side of the road, beside the sidewalk I was walking down. _Gordon._

"**C'mish, I didn't see you comin'."** I told him as I turned to my left, a grin on my red painted lips and my white teeth showing, he smiled at me just like a real father would do to his daughter or son, that affectionate kind smile. A nice one. He had his new partner sitting in the passenger side seat, a newbie. In the corner of my eye I could see the metal tag on the guy's suit, it read '_Howl_'. Hmm. I then looked back at Gordon as I heard him saying something to me. Okay, just go with that last thing he says.

"**How's trick-or-treating going?" **He asked with a chuckle **"Get any candy?"** Gordon was actually...nice. It kinda scared me to be quite honest. But I just smiled at him, nearly feeling the urge to hug him.

I looked at my carrier bag in my right hand then looked at him** "Uh yeah. Yeah, I did. A lot." **

Gordon looked down the street then back at me, still smiling** "Well, I'll be back at the GCPD, so Howl here is gonna stay with you. Just to be safe. Is that okay with you?" **

I looked at this Howl guy then back at Gordon, forcing the smile** "Sure. Why not." **Howl there got out the car, and for some reason at this moment I noticed he looked a lot like Hugh Jackman. Must resist the urge to call him Wolverine.

"**If you need me, I'll be at the GCPD, 'kay?" **I nodded and then he, still smiling, drove off in his car and then he was gone, out of my view. I took in a large intake of air then looked up at Howl beside me, grinning ear-to-ear

"**C'mon, Wolverine. Time to go on a rampage."** I walked down the sidewalk then, forgetting about Howl as he caught up then, walking beside me. Forget resisting the urge.

"**So, you're Jessica Hilton."** Ohhh, Wolverine wanted talk, okey-dokey then. We'll_ talk._

"**No, I'm Heidi Klum." **Yeah, I might be mean but I just wanted some more trick-or-treating, this being like five years or something since I last went trick-or-treating.

"**Funny."** He chuckled, then I noticed a large crowd of people in costumes. Time to ditch, Mr. Get-out-of-the-car-please. So, I just walked off into the road, Howl quickly following me, and I ducked into the crowd and Howl yelled my name but I acted as if I were in boot-camp and ducked around a corner and nearly giggled as I skipped down the sidewalk. Yeah. I skipped. So what? Get over it.

"**Time to have some fu--" **But then I heard a loud screeching of tires **"Oh crap." **I looked back, seeing the black van, yelling in annoyance **"Oh c'mon, man!" **I ran down the sidewalk, ducking into dark alley them, plastering myself against the brick wall as the van skidded on by, I noticed my hands were shaking by now. What did I ever do to deserve this?

I dashed across the road then, nearly tripping over the gravel rocks that laid all over the road for some reason, but was tackled to the ground in another dark alley, I was about to claw someone's eyes out but then I stopped, looking up in confusion as I saw a young guy, probably a few years older than me just staring at me.

"**Who the hell are you?!" **

"**Robert?" **Then he looked as if he were confused he ever said that** "I—I mean Robbie. My name's...Robbie."**

I smiled sarcastically** "Well, Robbie then. Can you possibly..."** I raised my voice louder then** "Get the hell off of me!" **

He jumped and quickly got up off of me and dusted his shirt off with his left hand then ran his right hand through his brown hair. I groaned, still feeling the pressure against my chest as I stood up then, staring at him for a moment before raking both of my hand's fingers through my green curly hair, it probably looked a little more worse than before but I didn't really care.

"**Why. Did. You. Tackle. Me?" **I asked **"In the middle of a road!" **

"**I—I--Why were you running across a road?!" **He yelled at me, as if I were the stupid one here. An—And who was he?! Some stupid punk from Brooklyn or something?

"**The Joker was coming after me."** I told him, then looked around the alley corner, when turning back around. He. Was. Right. There. Dude. Like a stalker** "Stop doing that!"**

"**Doing what?" **He asked as if confused, I glared at him and then drop-kicked him to the ground, he went down quickly on his knees, groaning in pain but then I kneeled him with my knee, right in the face and his head drooped back, one hand covering his nose, blood dripping down his face from his nose.

I turned and ran out the alley only to find myself being picked up from behind by someone, I twitched about, clawing and slapping and then I heard a familiar voice

"**Stay freakin' still!"** Dennis's voice echoed and I stopped momentarily, I looked behind me then as I tilted my head to the side, seeing Dennis there, I let my back heels fly back and the heels dove into an area where the sun does not shine. He moaned, as if this were like turning him on. Ew. Double ew. I slammed my head back then, right into his face and then he drooped me. I hit the ground hard, and I whimpered slightly in pain, looking up then, already feeling the stinging feeling on my forehead, I saw I made Dennis bite his lower lip doing down and he was wiping some blood off his lips and glared down at me.

"**You little--"**

"**_Ah, ta, ta, Denni_."** I heard a husky voice scolding Dennis, the voice got closer, I looked to my right then, seeing another all-to-familiar man coming over, the one with the purple suit and make-up face **"What do **_**we-uh**_** have here?" **He licked his lips, and held a gleaming right razor blade in his right hand, a lot like Sweeney Todd if you asked me.

He grabbed me then quickly, dragging me towards him and then yanking me to my feet **"**_**Hiiiiii, Princess." **_Before I had the chance to move he had the razorblade or whatever it was pressed against the left side of face, poking it into my skin slightly, teasingly. Then I heard two gunshots go off from behind me, I jumped at the noise twice, my eyes widened and meeting the Joker's gaze. I did turn my head to look back, I didn't dare to move at all.

**"_Awww, Jacko slipped up, ya know?_ I mean uh—He didn't follow the _rules-uh_ and made the mistake of talking_ baaack_. But uh--" **He looked at me then after looking behind me, chuckling as he did this **"Believe me, he won't be making that mistake again."** I stared at him, I knew Jacko was dead now...my good ol' stabbing post was gone. Another person dead because of this man. His grin slowly faded as he stared at me** "_You need to smile more, kid_." **Then before I knew it, something hit my head from behind and I slumped down limpless into the Joker's arms. That was the last coherent thought I had.

**0000**


	16. Concrete Escape

**0000**

`When I woke up I found myself in a large room, my vision still blurry I could see thanks to the moonlight that shined in from the window, which was boarded up slightly but it looked as if someone had ripped it back or broke it with something heavy. Even though I couldn't see it I knew my hair was a messy, sticking up probably and all other kinds of things. I licked my lips once as I tried to sit up, but the world seemed to tilt then so I just laid back down on the cold ground. I was use to things like this, not needing a pillow to get some sleep or being uncomfortable laying on cold flooring. It was marble and it felt nice against my face as I laid on my side. My eyes then glanced over the door that was only a little bit out of my view now. It was metal looking and had a small window on it, but all I saw was white out of it from where I was laying. My throat felt dry as I tried to swallow, it was very cold in here. After a few minutes, I tried again to sit up and luckily, the world didn't tilt like before. I coughed a few times before trying to stand up, which I succeeded in and stumbled over to the window, my hands up against the wooden boards as I looked out. Seeing nothing but abandoned buildings, a trashcan here and there and road only so far away. I stepped back then, having a good balance on walking now and my vision wasn't as blurry anymore.

My feet seemed to have a mind of their own as I walked over to the door, getting on my tippy toes to look out the window and seeing a flickering light and the walls were painted white but were pilling and had long strips of it hanging off, someone could easily walk by and grab onto it and yank it off. But I backed away as I could hear loud footsteps coming down this way, moving to the far-left, I hid in the dark corner as the metal door slowly opened up and someone walked in

"**Coop?" **Harley's voice echoed and I sighed with relief, due to the flickering of the light outside the room and moonlight shining in I could see her now, standing there, facing towards me with a worried expression on her face **"Oy vey, I thought Mr. J was just gonna rough ya up a bit not put ya in a place like this." **Rough. Me. Up?! I glanced at my hands, pulling back my trench coat sleeves, seeing the nasty bruises on them then the trench coat sleeves fell back down as Harley rushed over quickly and pulled me into a hug, as my face was pressed against her chest I tried my best to breath, lifting my head up a little she looked down at me and hugged me even tighter if that was possible.

"**Harl—Harley."** I started to shove her away then and she slowly let go, stepping back and I noticed then her blond hair was hanging down in modern day cut; her bangs in front, hiding her left eye and had some highlights. It was actually kinda nice.

"**Why am I here?"** I asked, even mentally slapping myself now I had to ask

"**Mr. J just wants ya to be home with your family, Coop." **She had a certain accent, something from the Bronx or Queens maybe, probably New Jersey but what would I know, I've never been there. Did she just call him Mr. J? Anyhoo.

"**Harl--" **I began but then I heard whistling, not the friendly kind either but more mocking, intimidating.

"**_Mr. J_." **She said then, realizing who was coming, then turned back to me quickly **"Coop, he's mad. Ya got to hide, 'kay? Go on now, there's a place over there." **Harley pointed to the window then left the room, shutting the door behind her. I could already hear her talking to _Mr. J_. So yeah, I moved over to the window, staring at it for a moment before grabbing through the hole that was there and pulled the wooden boards back as best as I could, having to put one foot up on the wall, one of the boards finally gave lose and I fell backwards onto the marble floor, my head banging against the marble I groaned in pain and then tried my best to stand back up. Well. There was a big enough hole I think, and I was flexible. I somehow pushed my way through half way and had to press back on the boards with my hands to slide all the way out as I noticed there was a fire escape here. Now I was sitting on it and I looked down, noticing that I'd have to jump down onto another dumpster. _Great_. I heard a door slam open, hitting against a wall and a few gunshots going off, it made me jump in place. _Twice_. Dang. Man, someone knew how to make an entrance.

Sliding my body down and then landing on the fire escape stairs I tried my best to get down them without losing my balance, the whole entire thing was shaking now. I felt it shaking more than usual though and looked up only to see Harley looking down at me with a sadden expression then a purple gloved hand came out, entangling itself in her hair and yanking her back in the room, her head bumping against the wooden floorboards and I could hear her squeak of pain all the way from down here. Something bad was gonna happen. I just knew it. I quickly moved as fast as I could, but then thanks to my trench coat got caught and I stumbled, my coat ripping and I had to grab onto the end of the stairs, which made me jerk slightly and I had to clench down on the stairs then glance down, a piece of my Halloween make-up or maybe it was the face paint, either way some of it flicked down into my eye which bothered me so much I lost my grip, falling towards the dumpster, I only had time to cover my face as I landed harshly. I groaned loudly in pain, my face cringing. My whole back felt like it was on fire now. I glanced up at both my hands then, seeing they had scrapes on them. They were bleeding. That's just wonderful, yes, I was being sarcastic.

Rolling off the dumpster, I had to grab onto it as I stood up, I felt like throwing up right now. When did it get so hot? I moved over down the alley, there was a very tall gate that a green metal covering, looked like some kind of covering for a trailer or something. I looked around to see if there was a door or something, which there was but it had a bunch of locks on it so that was a no go. Then there was, of course, another dumpster to the far-right so I moved over there, pulling myself up on it, cringing at the smell of all this. Again with me wanting to throw up. I had to stand up on my tippy toes to even barely see over, I looked around then and yanked myself up somehow, my feet on one of the gate's railings then lifted my leg leg up, making one good pull up and had to clench on the gate so I would not fall down. I hate gates. I had to slowly move up, move my upper body over the top, luckily succeeding in that. Then stopped completely as all I saw was a side walk that would crush my pretty little skull. _How nice_. I looked around and then to the right, seeing a drain pipe or something like that up on the brick wall, so I slid to the right slightly, moving my left leg down, so both feet were on the railing again and somehow slid myself over and then grabbing onto the drain pipe as I slid the lower part of my body over. Holding onto that drain pipe as if my life depended on it. Was kinda fun if you really thought about it, in a freaky, twisted kind of way. All the excitement and stuff. I was like junkie with this stuff. But yeah, I slid down slowly, making sure my feet stayed on the drain pipe as I did this, then slowly moving my feet onto the sidewalk. I was lucky I was getting shoot at or being yanked about harshly. But the peace didn't last long as I heard more gunshots but then I turned to my left and saw the Dark Knight right in front of me. I screamed, nearly collapsing on the sidewalk all the way together. Sure, yeah, give Jessie a heart attack tonight, sure. 'Cause it's totally normal to talk about yourself in third person like that too.

I glared at him then as he just stood there also glaring, at least it looked like he was **"You're really startin' to tick me off now, Bucko."** 'Cause it's so smart to insult the Batman. I might actually have anger issues, but who doesn't? Mr. Rogers. That's who. He growled, I promise you, he did. Then he yanked me so I was behind him

"**Stay here." **He ordered me and I shook my head

"**Nu-uh."** I protested **"Not this time, Ninja boy. I know what happened last time you left me alone." **He gave me one look of annoyance then he moved forward as the Joker's henchmen attacked, he tossed them over and under as if he was going to make an omelet out of them. It was entertaining until I noticed Harley and the Joker appear, Harley just jumped into the fight, no questions asked but I moved across the street but then I heard that same mocking voice from behind

"_**Ah ta ta**_**." **The Joker yanked me to him by my right forearm, his gloved fingers overlapping, probably going to cause more bruises later on** "Where do ya think you're goin'?" **

"**_Joker_." **Batman growled glaring at him but then Harley side kicked him across the face mid-air. Go, Harl. As Batman hit the gate...well, fence, whatever Joker twisted me around quickly and held me to him tightly, my head at his chest, yeah, that didn't come out right but oh well. He licked his lips, breathing heavily as he chuckled at the Dark Knight, I could feel the barrel of the gun at my neck. It was cold. He pressed the gun deeper into my neck so it hurt, made me cringe slightly. Batman swung at Harley, and she flew back into the middle of the street, laying limp now. Joker didn't really seem to care but I did. As much as Harley was annoying...she didn't deserve to be hurt like that. But I had to re-focus my attention back tot he Batman as Joker held me like this** "Let her go."** Batman commanded, but Joker just scoffed and waved the gun about

"**Why would I do something like tha_t?_" **He asked with a wide grin set on his lips then it turn nasty, into a intimidating grin **"When the _fun-uh _is just beginnin'." **

He fired it once and a bullet went through a stop sign only so far away, then he put the gun back to my neck teasingly. Everything got really quiet for a moment or two, I noticed Harley slowly getting up, whimpering slightly in pain but she tried to hold back her sobs. I wanted to help her but I was a little preoccupied at the moment. Batman was moving side to side wherever the Joker moved **"_You uh just don't quit, do ya?_" **Then he flung me aside roughly, I landed near by where Harley was and then I saw Joker laughing as Batman attacked him but Joker somehow managed to get a crow bar and swing at the Dark Knight. I quickly crawled over to Harley, starting to help her up but then she grabbed me instead, pulling me close to her in a affectionate away, a motherly way, she was running one of her hands through my still green sprayed hair

"**Mr. J's gonna be A-okay and then every thing's gonna be peachy keen again, Coop, you just wait and see." **She whispered in my ear and rocked me side to side as Bat-face and Joker went at it like rapid dogs. Deep down though, I knew nothing was going to _okay _again, everything had changed...and not necessarily for the best either.

**0000**


	17. Sedated Pain

**0000**

`After a few moments, I shoved myself away from Harley and got to my feet somehow, running down the street as Harley yelled after me, I turned a corner and nearly bumped into a group of men but I stopped, backing away as I saw them staring at me now. They stared at me for a few moments before realizing I was a girl, then one of them reached for me but I ducked over to the far-left and nearly stumbled right into the middle of the road. Licking my lips once I ran down the road as fast as I could, still hearing a series of footsteps behind me but I turned a left corner and it started to rain, on Halloween, it was raining. I kept running, ignoring that my hair and costume was getting wet. Where my candy bag had gone, I probably would never know. In my ears the sound of footsteps faded and all I heard was the abnormal rhythm of my heartbeat, stuttering every other beat. I could hardly breath, my chest was hurting. My vision was getting blurred thanks to the rain, I ran around another corner but instead just ran across the road but then I saw the headlights of a vehicle shining bright and a horn blaring loudly, I dove across the rest of the road, already feeling the burning on my hands as they hit the sidewalk. I flipped over so I was on my back now and I saw Gordon get out of the vehicle quickly, running over to me in worry. Things seemed to clear for me, even as the rain flooded down from the sky, my make-up and face paint draining down myself now but my red lipstick staying on without a smudge yet. My brown eyes focused on him as he knelled down beside me, not caring if he stained his pants or not.

"**Jessie." **He breathed heavily as he looked at me through his now fogged up glasses, he took them off and folded them up, putting them in his pocket, not a case just to be safe **"What are you thinking? You were supposed to stay with Howl, he was gonna watch you. You were supposed to--" **Then he saw my hands that were still bleeding, that were shaking, and my soaked hair and costume, my shivering. He pulled me over to him then, a arm around me as he tried to help me **"It's gonna be okay. C'mon. That's it, yeah, that's it." **Then he helped me over to his car as I stared up at him as if confused then I noticed he had opened up the back right door **"You can lay down. Get some rest until we get you to the Hospital, 'kay? It's gonna be okay now, Jess. I promise." **That was a promise I knew he couldn't keep, but the thought was nice. It made me feel wanted and cared for. But still, I slowly moved into the back, trying not to touch the leather seats with my hands but failing at it as I nearly collapsed and laid down, curling up in a ball and then I heard the door shut, but more quietly. Then only the sound of rain hitting the car filled my ears until Gordon got in and started to drive off. He hadn't turned the engine off before getting out. Hmm. Before closing my eye lids I saw him look at me from the rear view mirror then back at the road, I drifted off to sleep then. I felt at peace at times like these. I jumped away as I felt the car come to a stop, I still felt drowsy but I sat up, my still curled hair covering my left eye as I looked around. I saw nothing but rain again but then the side door opened up again and there was Gordon once again. He had his glasses on now. He had a hand reached out towards me

"**Come on." **I took it gladly and got out, he helped me over to the hospital's entrance/exit doors and hurried me in towards the front desk** "Hey, I need a Doctor. Now." **He was speaking to a blond nurse now

That's when she saw me **"What happened, Commissioner?" **She rushed over around the desk to me, a clipboard in hand, she looked worried. Wa—Dang it! It was Becky, from before! I knew it! Oh well.

"**I need a Doctor to check her out, she's bleeding--" **He showed her my hands and then Becky here nodded and rushed back around the desk, dialing a number into the phone and was calling for a Doctor now. I would have rolled my eyes if I hadn't been so tired, Gordon kept telling me how I was going to be okay and what not as he guided me over to the waiting area. It took them about...oh, I don't know, fifteen seconds before I got a Doctor and was rushed into a little examination room. I nearly bit the Doctor when she tried to check the bruises around my neck, I didn't like it when she touched me. I didn't like it when anyone touched me...well, with Gordon, I felt safe. But only him really...and maybe Harley, but that was another story.

"**Is she going to be okay?" **I could hear Gordon ask from outside the room

"**She has a severe series of bruises. She's lucky she's alive at all." **This made me raise my eyebrows but I half-grinned **"We need to keep her overnight, and probably tomorrow too." **I scowled then in annoyance

"**But is she going to be okay?" **He sounded worried even more than last time I had been around him

"**As far as I know, if nothing changes, then, yes. She'll be just fine." **She didn't sound totally sure though **"Where did you find her?" **

"**She was laying on the sidewalk, her hands bleeding and bruises on her neck and face." **I then quirked an eyebrow but nodded, they had washed off my make-up and face paint, but luckily some had been determine to stay, like my red lipstick. Good ol' Red.

"**Do you know how she got there?" **

"**No. One of my men..." **He sounded as if regretting now that he had left me alone with How. It wasn't Wolverine's fault, it was mine, that's what I wanted to yell but I remained silent. I'd have to send Howl there some kind of gift or something **"Was supposed to be watching her but she somehow managed to get away. Then If found her in the rain like I said." **The Doctor sighed and then everything got quiet, I just laid back on the table they had me on, turning on my side, my back to the door. I didn't want to look at it anymore. I felt tired again, and sick. I just wanted to be left alone for once.

About fifteen minutes later, I was put into a hospital room and into a nice set of Hospital jammies, but I didn't talk to or even prtend to care about frilly Becky's affection as she tried to chat me up with small-talk, I just did as she told me to do and then I was back with IV needle in my left hand and that stupid breathing thing in my nose again. I drooped my eye lids, just staring at my hands that were in my lap, barely out of my view as I was laying back, my head resting on the fluffy white pillow. Everything was cold again. I didn't like that but it felt nice against my skin. Then with a sigh, I reached up and tucked my hair behind both of my ears then licked my lips, putting my hands back at my lap and looking up at the ceiling instead this time. As said, nothing was going to be _okay _again.

"**_Stop it!_" **This sound flooded my ears and I jumped nearly, looking around but seeing nothing. It was just another memory. That's all. This is what I kept telling myself now. Looking to my left, I closed my eye lids again, licking my lips as tears started to run down my cheeks, sniffling I reached over with one hand and tried to wipe them away but my eyes just kept watering up. I bit my lower lip and just put my hand there back with the other in my lap. I decided just to get some more sleep, so I cried myself to sleep then. When I re-awoke, my vision blurred at first but then cleared and I looked around and it was bright as the sun was shining through the screen on the window. It was day. I sat up, using the little device thing and making the bed pull up so I could still rest my head on the pillow and sit up. Everything was unusually quiet and I looked out the other window, and saw not many nurses or Doctors outside the room, nor any cops. What was going on? I moved to my right then, looking away from the door as I looked around for that dang calling little thing that Becky had told me about but when I did find it, I heard the door opening and then shutting. I stopped in my movements, frozen.

"**_La dee da_." **I heard a voice whispering, dark and dangerous **_"La dee dum._" **I turned back then, my hair staying behind my ears for once as I stared at what I saw. The Joker dressed in a nurse's outfit and had on a orange wig

"**I uh had to go find this old thing but it's still just as good as I first used it." **He gestured towards his outfit, raising his eyebrows and grinning ear-to-ear **"_Trick or treat_." **

I was about to say something but then he quickly moved over to me **"**_**Shh, Princess**_**. Ya don't have to speak right now, just let me do all the talkin'." **He took off the red wig then, putting it on his lap as he sat down on the edge of the bed, running both of his hands through his hair before placing them back in his lap, but they still moved about, guesturning to things as he spoke** "I know it's after Halloween and the last time we uh...**_**bonded**_**." **He used both his hands, his pointer and middle finger on both to form the quotations around the word bonded **"I had to be very persuasive earlier to get uh..." **He looked back out the window, to see what was outside the room, again there was nothing then back at me **"**_**Them**_** out of here but now that they're gone.**_** We can really talk**_**." **He reached over with both hands and placed them over mine, I yanked my hands back but he just roughly grabbed them back **"Hey, hey, come here. Don't do tha**_**t**_**." **He frowned at my actions, then he had both my hands covered by his, his fingers digging into my palms now. He chuckled once in amusement then nodded, his eye lids drooping somewhat now.

I glared at him in digust as he then let one hand out to untuck my hair but I slipped one hand out and slapped at him, and moved forward, attacking him but he then pinned me back down on the bed, now hovering over me, the red wig fell off the bed to the ground **"_Hey now, don't do that_."** He scolded me, his jaw locking as he breathed heavily **"I don't want to be mean to ya, kid, but you're startin' to be a little too cheeky for my taste." **He slipped one hand out, still pinning me down with his left arm across my chest, tapping the right side of my face with his free hand, then he reached back, his eyes moving up as if looking for something then grinned and pulled his hand back, he was holding a needle** "_I was wondering where I had put that_." **I stared at him wide eyed and he let go, I tried to slip off the bed and run but he just grabbed me again, turning me around so my head rested on his left shoulder, arms wrapped around me and he still held the needle in hand, it was dangerously close to my right eye now, both of my eyes widen due to this now. I knew exactly what kind of needle that was for. _Sedation. _

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	18. Pretty Fire

**{A/N: Here you go, hope you enjoy; little suspenseful at the end :) reviews are loved, thanks for the ones I already have, they're great to read~I do not own XMEN or Wolverine mentions in here~*}**

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`He neared it closer not even realizing it as he hummed to himself, my eyes flickered up and I only saw him staring around as if trying to remember something but then he shrugged, smacking his lips once and breathing heavily at first **"Let's ge**_**t **_**started." **Then as he pulled the needle away he just neared it again and I looked from the corner of my right eye at his hand that held it then moved my head and bit down on it, he jumped once but then the somehow I managed to slip down and out of his grip, landing on the marble ground and quickly scurrying over across the small area as he was already laughing, I flipped over only to see him coming towards me with the sedation again, I bended my body and threw my legs up, my feet connecting with his chest then I landed back down flat on the ground. Yeah. Gymnastics comes in handy sometimes. I flipped back over to my side and jumped to my feet, running across the room to the area, getting the door open as I was grabbed from behind, this time no needle, but a strong firm arm around the front of my throat, holding me in a choke hold. Impulsively, my hands flew to the arm, trying to pry it off as I started to gag, losing air to breath.

My eyes searched all around, at the things I could see, anything that I could use to, grab and attack with. He tighten his grip and my knees buckled but then I saw a series of metal tools on a tray near by, why it was there I don't know but I couldn't breath now. I reached forward, my arm outstretched and my fingertips brushing a metal surgery knife.

"**C'mon. Give u_p_." **He whispered in my ear, a laughter following moments later but then my fingertips moved the knife closer and I hit the metal table now, the tools falling to the floor but I grabbed onto the metal knife, stabbing it into the arm that held me in this death grip and then he let lose and I fell to the floor, coughing and trying to breath correctly. As my breathing sounded okay, even though my throat was raspy I got out of the room, running down the hallway, nearly losing my balance and tripping over my own feet. I looked back once only to see the Joker coming down the hallway in a odd animal like way, like a money but hey, that was just my idea on it. My eyes widen and I turned my head back, turning around a corner, having to hold onto the wall for a few seconds, still running and then I took a left. Where's those stairs when you need them? I looked around and saw no one at all. What had happened while I was asleep? I saw an elevator and flew to it as if it gonna save my life. I took time then to notice that my hands were wrapped in white bandages but then I kept pushing the down button as much as I could on it, thinking maybe if I pushed it enough it would come faster. That did not come out right. But it was true.

"**Come on. Come on. Come on."** I was talking to a inanimate object now but that was just fine, probably meant I was crazy but it was okay. My bandage covered hands were shaking but I tapped my foot slightly, then the elevator doors opened up and I ducked into it, I pushed the main floor button and the doors slowly started to shut, the Joker appearing in front of them as he hopped out of no where, just as they shut all the way close. So yeah, I screamed, covering my mouth with both hands then putting them back at my side, clenching them into fists even though it hurt painfully to do so now that I had some time to notice. They felt like they were on fire but I tapped my foot, impatient already. This thing was too slow. What if he was already running down the fire escape stairs? **"The Joker is after me, Mr. Elevator, so can you hurry up?!" **I was now talking to inanimate objects._Again. _That made me panic and I start to press the main floor button again, about three times in my little panic. The elevator doors opened up and I could smell smoke already, it made me cough and feel like I was going to throw up but I ran out as fast as I could. Where were the doors?

My eyes scanned the area and I saw them, but then I heard a ding noise and I looked to the left of the elevator. There was another one...Oh crap. I dashed across the smoke filled area, coughing harshly then shoved the doors open and dashed down the side stairs and then across the front parking a lot, all the ambulances sirens were wailing loudly, screeching and from a distance I could hear the fire truck sirens. I glanced back once, my hair blowing with the wind so it kept getting in front of my eyes but then a explosion went off and I fell backwards onto the rocky hard ground, my eye lids close tightly as smoke filled the whole area. I couldn't breath. When the area started to clear, it had felt like hours but then I looked up and saw fire still showing in some windows, and only the walls had cracked on the hospital. I had heard my dad talking about it once...how the Joker had blown up Gotham General and they had to rebuild it. Luckily this time it didn't turn to dust like before. I coughed again, covering my mouth with my left hand, trying to swallow but that just made me want to cough even more. Then within seconds there was a hand at my shoulder and I finally heard the fire truck and police sirens again, I jumped in place then, looking up and saw Gordon there. Man, sometimes he was so smothering. My hands were shaking as I swallowed, fighting the urge to cough now.

"**Did the Joker come out alive?"** He asked then, breathing heavily, awaiting an answer and all I could was stare at him, mouth agape **"Did he?" **He looked anxious now, I then remembered how to move and shrugged quickly, I didn't know how to answer. I—I hadn't seen him since back inside the hospital room and hallway...but...I...I didn't know.

"**I don't know..." **I started to cough again, looking away and covering my mouth with both hands as I hacked away. Gordon then knelt down, patting me on the back slightly, then looked around

"**I need a medic! Hey!" **Gordon yelled, looking for someone to come and help me apparently **"I need a medic!" **Then he looked back at me, looking as if he didn't know what else to do. It seemed like hours as I was checked and poked by some medics, now I sat at the back of an ambulance, my legs dangling off but then I pulled them up, sitting Indian style as I clenched at the gray fuzzy blanket that was wrapped around me, smoke still smudged my face but there were too many people scurrying around and buzzing about. I looked to my left, staring at the hospital that was still standing, as said by luck. Firefighters entering and exiting all at the same time and then I slowly let my eyes trail up, seeing still fire dazzling from the windows. It looked pretty to me for some reason. Sparkly. Beautiful. I stared at it for a few moments before slowly looking away in a daze, letting go of the blanket now, it fell back as I hopped off the ambulance and got to my feet, looking around once before walking over to a police car where I saw Howl. I tried to smile but couldn't for some reason, but I stood beside the driver side now, slowly Howl looked over at me.

"**Hey." **He quirked an eyebrow at me as if suspicious, which he probably was **"Yeaaaah. Sorry 'bout before." **I was really trying my best to apologize, he looked away then still with his quirked eyebrow. I tell you, seriously, if you could see him, you'd say he looked just like Wolverine from the X-MEN movies, the one played by Hugh Jackman, but that's not important.

"**It's okay, doesn't matter." **He didn't look back at me, I took that as a peace marker and turned around, walking away but then** "Hey, Kid!"** I turned back slightly, looking at Howl and he actually smiled but it faded **"Be careful." **Then he looked away as if nothing had happen, I stared for a moment or two before turning around and walking away back towards the ambulance I was at moment's before, grabbing the blanket that was still there and looking back at the hospital again, at the pretty fire, wondering if the Joker had really made it out alive or not.

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	19. News report

**{A/N: Hope you enjoy this chap. :D *}**

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`It's been a while since the whole hospital incident. Back when they were putting me in another foster home, they wouldn't let me go back with_ Noelle and Dr. Arkham_ for some reason, saying that it'd be better if I wasn't in contact with anything Arkham related. Go figure. But _Noelle _seemed to be upset by it, oh well, she'll eventually be swamped with work by the end of this week and will forget all about me. Instead, good ol' GCPD and Gordon placed me in a different type of foster home. You wanna know who? The great billionaire play boy. Bruce flippin' Wayne. Why he'd want some brat in his house, I don't know. But he's been actually nice to me, and his butler dude is awesome.

Alfie, Wayne's butler, is what I get to call him now, even when his name is Alfred, and he actually lets me get away with it even when Wayne thinks its wrong sometimes. I got my own room too in his penthouse. He had some extra guest rooms but he hardly comes home at night. Don't know why but I plan to find out one day.

So instead I have breakfast with Alfie and then he takes me to school, which really isn't that far away from the penthouse either. But I guess this is gonna be my home for a while anyway. I needed to get stitches on my hand, they even put a cast like thing over it for some reason, and wrapped it with white like tape stuff about three times.

I guess it was that severe. But the cut on my forehead wasn't deep enough luckily. The hospital is being re-built on the inside, again, due to the fire and all the smoke but it's still standing and eventually they're going to re-open. I still don't know what the Joker had done to get everyone out.

Now I just sit in the living room, on the nice black leather couch Wayne has, but he isn't here this morning so he can't make me go eat my delicious cereal in the dining room now, Alfie lets me eat in here. The sun isn't shining in to bright from the windows but a couple people are talking and decorating the walls. I leaned back on the couch and turned my head back to look at them. I quirked my eyebrow, with a mouthful of Trix cereal then just looked back at the screen TV. There had been nothing else on this morning so I was watched the news instead.

Oh by the way, it seems that the Joker really did make it out alive, which thrilled Harley so much. Wayne had only let me go to Arkham to visit her _once_ , he didn't like the idea of me going there, and defiantly not after when Gordon told me the truth. It seems that when I was born that he and the GCPD took me away from my real parents. Harley and Joker.

I was mad at him first but he was Gordon, so I had to forgive him. He's a really great guy once you get to know him. But that Batman still ticks me off, I can barely understand him sometimes when he yells words out all deep and annoyingly. I haven't seen him in a while.

But back to Gordon. Yeah, he was thinking of having me live with his family, and his wife had agreed to but instead I went with Wayne. I don't know much of what happen when I was born but Gordon said he had found some videotapes of me and the two. I think Harley had it videotaped, not when I was actually born but afterwards and before. Probably some goon they kidnapped or hired and threaten to kill if he/she didn't videotape it.

I should probably ask Gordon for the tapes sometime when I'm not busy. They'd be nice to see I think. I don't think Wayne will let me go to Arkham again. I'd like to. Just to see Harley of course, not the Joker...well. Maybe him too.

Oh! And did I mention that the one dude from before, the one who tackled me into the alley before the Joker kidnapped me for the second time? Robbie. He visits me a lot. I learn he actually goes to my high school. As I am a freshmen, and he's a junior. He's actually nice but I think he's working for someone dangerous. He never likes to talk about this Garcia guy that one of his buddies had mentioned. Too bad. But he's an actual friend. Somehow he had gotten away when the Joker got at me. I'm glad for that. He's the first guy that I haven't wanted to punch in the face really, besides that one moment in the alley, and besides Gordon. Every other guy? Probably. Nah. Howl's pretty awesome too. Guess I do have anger issues.

Alfie walked over to me and was holding a silver tray as he smiled at me when I looked up, and then I quickly swallowed the remaining cereal in my mouth before speaking** "Hey, Alfie. What's these guys doin' here?"** I nodded back at the decorative people behind me, he looked at them then back at me.

"**These are the people Master Wayne has hired for the upcoming ball here at the penthouse, Ms. Hilton." **He just looked so friendly then, all I wanted to do was hug him. He was adorable. But that's just me. I nodded slowly then looked back at the TV before just as fast looking back at Alfie here

"**Ball?" **

"**Oh yes." **He nodded **"Master Wayne thought it'd be nice to have. Also it'll be for a charity so it's for the good of Gotham City." **

"**Do I have to come to it?" **I wasn't sure if it'd be _nice_ to see me in a dress of all things

"**I don't think Master Wayne would mind if you didn't." **

"**Really?" **I put my cereal bowl on the glass table in front of the couch I was sitting on then leaned back in the leather couch again **"'Cause I totally can if you want. I mean, if you're going to be there I'd love to hear your new jokes that _Mr. Wanye_--"** I said '_Mr. Wayne_' with heavy exaggeration **"--has been telling me all about." **

He chuckled in amusement** "I'd love it if you'd come too, Ms. Hilton."** Then he sighed as if tired, made me kinda worried, he wasn't really that young to be honest **"Is there anything else I can get you this fine morning?"**

"**Well, it's Tuesday and it's Thanksgiving break so. How 'bout a day on the town to get some Thanksgiving supplies?" **I grinned ear-to-ear, my blue eyes sparkled I could tell because there was that kindness in his eyes

"**That'd be lovely."** Alfie then smiled again, he was so nice at times, then reached over towards the bowl **"I'll go clean this for you first." **Then he put the empty bowl, with silver spoon in it, on the silver tray before walking off. Alfred was so awesome at times. I say this just so you know once again that Alfie IS Alfred, the butler. Just saying.

And I wondered quietly to myself where little Ms. Superstar was. Amber whats-her-face. I don't know. Something to do with modeling. She was usually here in the mornings too, looking for Wayne but guess she wasn't coming this particular morning. Oh well. She was literally the blondest brunette at times. No offense.

I made a small noise that could have been considered a squeak but whatever, and then I just curled up into a ball on the leather couch, still my eyes on the TV set now. On the screen it was re-showing footage of when the Joker was taken in to Arkham.

The sound of the Joker's crazed manic laughter echoed in my ears, just as it did from the TV screen speakers, and I wondered if the people behind me were watchings this too. Feeling the same way I was even though I knew they weren't. It was never wrong to just be yourself. That's what Joker was doing but I couldn't help to feel angry with him. I was always looking down the street nowadays, or whenever I was with Alfred was taking me to school, imagining that I'd hear a screeching of the tires from a van. Expecting the Joker to come and take me away again. Even though it happened only twice...I felt that way. It didn't matter if it had only happened twice. That was just how I think. I was being myself...or at least trying to.

I sighed softly under my breath in annoyance and sat back up on the couch as my casted arm was hurting again, but I felt tired now. I wanted to curl up in my bed and stay there for the rest of the day but Alfie would be getting back soon. My eyes casted down to my injured hands. I didn't get why they had only casted on arm like this and not the other, my left hand was just wrapped heavily but that was beside the point.

Then I slowly looked up at the TV set as I heard my name, there was the Joker still half-way out of the back of the Arkham Asylum van, two guards still trying to shove him in. He looked so serious at this moment, smacking his lips then licking them** "Hey, Dolly, Princess--"** He was speaking to me...did anyone else know this? **"Be yourself. Don't let anyone else tell ya what to do. Got that? Be. Yourself. 'Cause we'll be seeing each other soon--"** He looked into the camera with near drooped eye lids, his brown eyes darkening so they were nearly pitch black

"**Joker!" **One of the guards growled at him, using nearly all force it looked like as they almost got him all the way in then, Joker didn't pay him in attention at all

"**_I'm a man of my word_." **That's when he was finally shoved in all the way, his laughter loud as can be as the doors were shut and locked, reporters buzzing about loudly but not that loud as the Joker was being, then the screen went back to the previous news reporter and they totally just switched the subject to sports. Like they had seen nothing moments before. Like nothing had happened.

This made me ticked off then. How could they just switch a important subject like the Joker to Sports of all things?! That was illogical! Yeah, I can be smart when I want to be. My whole body shivered as I felt my skin warm up. I probably had a fever now, and a stupid headache.

"**Ms. Hilton, are you ready now?"** Alfie asked from only so far away, I looked over at him then nodded with a smile, getting up the couch and walking over, he helped me put on my jacket then we headed over to the elevator. Alfie always seemed to know how to make me smile, 'cause he was cool like that.

But with Wayne...he made me uneasy. He's different, not like other people here in Gotham. He puts up this act, a mask for others. I don't see why really. Why can't he just be himself? Where's the harm in that? It's not wrong at all. It's normal.

Different is unique, why can't he see that? Guess something happen to him that made him this way. I don't think I've ever actually seen him honestly smile at all since I've been here. That's just creepy to me. You gotta smile every so often, if you don't. That's just unhealthy. People need to smile more. It's nice to smile. Anyhoo, maybe I'd visit the Joker or something. No! Bad, Jessie. Do not visit him. He'd just flippin' try to kill you again. Okay. Maybe I'm being stereotypical here but it's true. He's the Joker we're talking about. Oy vey. It was gonna be a very long day, wasn't it?

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	20. Charity Ball

**[A/N: I apologize ahead of time if there are any grammar/spelling mistakes, this took a lot for me to type up, my longest chapter yet, yay**

**and I do hope you enjoy this particular chap. and have been while reading, reviews are loved and welcomed; also, I've been thinking of making a second installment of this story, just basically what happens next with Jessie here :D what do you, folks, think? Should I? And just so there's no confusion, Marissa Garcia is Mr. Antonio Garica's daughter, Mr. Garica was mentioned before, just to let you know; and if you'd read my one other batman story "_Pretty Girl_" I will have more of Marissa, just in case you want to know more about her or the others :) hope you enjoy this chapter :D there's only one more I'm going to be doing I believe~*]**

**0000**

`I felt sick now, my stomach was churning and all these old women that were trying to talk my ears off were just plain nauseating. All the questions of '_Oh, isn't it just wonderful that Bruce took you in, dearie_' or '_Now, dear, don't smile to much, some men find that unattractive_--' Blah. Blah. Blah. I saw Ms. Sparkle near by. Well, her name was Amber, and like I think she was married to Wayne before but they divorced, and now she just hangs around him. Jeez, talk about not getting over someone. But she was really pretty, Gotham's main magazine covers apparently didn't lie about their stuff.

But they had two kids too. Dakota and Cassandra. Bruce wanted me to meet them, and why he'd want to foster a kid while he already had two biological kids I don't know. But I've already met Dakota, he goes to my school but Cassandra...Guess I was going to meet her soon. This was stupid. I didn't like wearing this dress at all. It was all violet and poofy like, I was no Cinderella or Snow White, believe me. Oy vey.

Earlier, Alfie had took me around town to shops and to some museums to pass time. Wayne did say I could buy a few things, actually that's all he really said when I called on the limo phone. Oh yeah. I got to ride in a limo. That was flippin' awesome. I had never been in a limo before but I had seen one.

I sighed and walked over to the nearest window, looking out at downtown Gotham City, there were cars speeding on by on the ground below and people were buzzing about like insects. A bored sigh escaped my mouth as I put a hand up on the window, it was cold but it felt really nice. My eyes flashed up to the dark sky, bright stars twinkled and it made me smile. I looked back over to my side, at all the people at the ball. Some were dancing, others talking.

Near by I saw a man enter and he looked fancy too. He had on a expensive looking suit, and looked like someone who could be the Anti-James Bond. Probably in his forties or something.

Oh crap...that was Mr. Garcia. I remembered him from when my dad, well...my adoptive Dad came home with him one time. For some reason Mr. Garcia was pleased with him at the time, not like before though. Then Garcia walked over to Ms. Cesar, she was Amber's boss I think. But she was well known in Gotham. _Hmm_.

My hair was down, and had been curled thanks to Ms. Garcia, well her name was Marissa but I knew she was Joan's mom, plus she was Garcia's daughter creepily enough. Joan went to my school too like Dakota. Joan was nice actually to me, but we didn't talk that much. I didn't talk to anyone really. She had it all nice to, making it look almost Marylin Munroe style but a little bit longer. She did my make up too, which was awesome. I think I'd want her to adopt me if I could.

That's when I let my eyes cast over to Wayne, who was getting googly eyes from three different women at the same time. He looked tired and I noticed that he had a smudge on his face...it looked like ash or something but I couldn't tell from here. Well, whatever. He was always getting into trouble, running in with people he shouldn't even be around. Not someone like him. Robbie was different somehow from the others.

I walked over then to a more hidden area, I didn't feel like chatting with anyone right now. Why couldn't it just rain? That'd be nice. The room was getting to smothering, and for some reason I felt someone was staring at me in there. So I just walked over near where the main bathroom was, about to go in until I felt a presence behind me, quickly my movements stopped and I froze.

**"You're quite the loner, arentcha?" **I heard a familiar voice say, a wide grin spread on my lips and I turned around then, my hair moving slightly, my hands fluttering to tuck it behind my ears before going back to my hips.

**"Robbie." **He chuckled as I nearly tackled him with a hug then and he, to be honest, held me a little longer than a friend should but then he still had his arms around me as I grinned up at him **"Did you get invited or something?" **

**"I wouldn't be here if I hadn't been, would I?" **He quirked an eyebrow, he seemed smarter than before for some reason. It made me happy though to see him. He was a cool friend to have. But then I saw a sad look on his face, this made me scowl in annoyance, I folded my arms across my chest.

**"What?" **

**"I've been thinking--" **I giggled, then was shocked at myself that I actually giggled but I put that thought aside for now. I think Robbie blushed then but I couldn't tell he kept looking away from me, but he looked actually serious for once now. _How odd_.

**"Be careful. That's dangerous."** He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, forcing a smile and that's the first time I noticed what he was wearing. It wasn't a suit or anything related to it. It was like he wasn't invited and I knew Wayne didn't like him. Not. One. Little. Bit.

**"What's going on, Robbie?" **I knew he hadn't been invited now, the look on Wayne's face had said it all.

**"Can I talk with you?" **He asked whispering this time, I glanced over to my right and saw Wayne looking over here with the most serious face that I had ever seen. That was totally not creepy, that was just freaky. But then I felt a tug on my left arm and looked back at Robbie, nodding quickly and blinking a few quick times as if in a daze.

He dragged me deeper down the hallway there, now I was totally more worried than before. But...I was Jessie. I never worried so...why was this so different than any time before?

_**~Meanwhile back at the GCPD~**_

Commissioner Jim Gordon sat at his desk, cleaning his glasses with handkerchief and sighed tiredly, he just wanted to go home now and rest but his mind kept thinking of all the cases he had going on, including the one of Jessica Hilton. Earlier Bruce Wayne had came in and talked with him about Jessie. He was worried that the Joker would break out of Arkham again quite soon for her but then he left in a hurry after Gordon had said they were going to protect her.

He didn't know why but he felt odd presence with Wayne, like something was there that he should have noticed but didn't. It frustrated Gordon to no end.

Gordon then put his glasses back on, putting the cloth back on the desk and leaned back in his chair, closing his eye lids, hoping to get a little bit of rest for the mean time until one of his cops busted in, slamming the door against the wall as they threw it open. Gordon sighed in annoyance then sat back up straight on his chair, his hands on his desk now as he cleared his throat, feeling a cough starting up but held it back.

**"What is it?" **He asked the newbie cop, the man simply cleared his own throat, clearly worried and handed over an envelope package, then quickly left** "Hey, wai—Never mind."** The man had already gone, shutting the door behind him and Gordon ripped open the package slowly, then looked in seeing a videotape and letter. What the--

Gordon got up from his seat, putting the letter on his desk and taking the video tape over towards the TV set that was in his room, pulling the small metal table that had the TV on top if it over to his desk and sat back down on his seat, leaning forward a little as he put the tape in the VCR set then turned the TV on with the remote, waiting for what was to come. He had no idea what to expect, it had not said who this was from and the cop hadn't stayed long enough to tell him either.

The TV screen popped on, fuzzy at first but then he saw something that made him gasp softly, the Joker was on the TV screen now. It looked as if this was being videotaped, which it probably was of course.

In the background of the Joker, it looked like he was still in Arkham Asylum, the walls were tiled with marble but had dirt and what looked to be blood on them, making them quite ugly and the Joker was very close to the screen now so it was hard to tell really to be honest, then the Joker backed up a few steps so Gordon could see all but below the Joker's knees now.

Joker had on his purple suit again and was holding a switchblade, which also looked like it had dry blood on it, holding this little gleaming object in his left hand. He wasn't wearing his gloves obviously. Gordon's eyes widen only slightly as he watched but he held his emotion in, just waiting to see what was to happen next. On the screen, the Joker licked his lips a couple times before blinking slowly, then letting his eye lids droop

**"_Hiiii_." **Joker greeted sheepishly, half grinning. He was mocking Gordon now **"Uh, hey. Now I know that you're uh, probably mad at me right now, Gordon. But dontcha worry. I'll make sure that you get to see what's gonna go down at Wayne's ball." **

He laughed then but it quickly cut off as some whimpers in the background were heard but Gordon saw no one, then a few screams, the person sounded like they were in pain. This made Joker frown sourly, his upper lip snarling slightly as he looked behind him, looking down then quickly back at the camera, holding up one finger with his right hand** "Just give me one little minute, 'kay?"**

Then he dissapeared off screen, more screams heard that sounded horribly in pain more than ever before following after that, then only small whimpers. That following with what sounded like a dragging of a body or something greatly related to that. Oh my.

Joker appeared on the screen again then, licking his lips once more then with his right hand slicked his hair back a little, getting it out of his face for the moment then started to gesture to things as he talked again **"As ya can see, I'm still uh...Well, in Arkham." **He looked as if he wanted to throw up as he said the Asylum's name then grinned again, then nodded as if to give encouragement.

**"But don't ya worry yourself, Gordon. You'll get stressed, and I heard that's not to good for the heart. I mean just look at the local Mafia gang, they're getting more and more stressed thanks to your little department. But that's not important. What is important is that I'm here to give little ol' you a message."**

He moved the camera to the side, it revealed a tied up security guard, he looked quite dead from Gordon's perspective, beside the guard stood a grinning ear-to-ear Harley Quinn. Joker stood to the left of the tied up dead guard, letting his right hand entangle into the lifeless Guard's hair, tugging at it harshly as he looked back at the screen **"I want ya to meet Thomas here. It took a lot of convincing but I finally got him to pull through. Tom then was just so nice to let me out of my cell for the night." **He licked his lips as he looked back at the guard then just as fast back at the camera, leaning in a little bit as Harley giggled **"Believe me, he won't be makin' that mistake again." **

He quirked an eyebrow then **"Now, all I was doin' was showin' your schemers out there that they were just pathetic in their attempts. I mean, have ya ever personally noticed this, Commish? No one panics when everything goes according to _plan_." **He squinted then and looked over at Harley then back at the camera **"Aren't I right, Harl?" **

**"Yeah, Mr. J, of course you are." **Harley grinned slyly, her black painted lips dazzling nearly.

Joker looked around the room before looking back at the camera, letting go of the lifeless Gaurd's hair then switched the blade in his left hand to his right, pointing the knife against the Guard's left cheek, then pointing it at the camera accusingly.

**"But _YOU_. You just had to ruin everything. You and your little pack of schemers there at the GCPD. But, I'm not judgin'. I'm just pointing out the obvious here when no one else will." **Joker tilted his head to the side as if asking Gordon if he was wrong in that statement, grinning as he knew he wasn't then moved away from the guard and Harley, walking over to the camera, picking it up then so only Gordon could see his face now

**"I just want you to know. When I say there's no hard feelings between us. That I mean i_t_." **He overproduced the 't' at the end **"You think she's going to be normal, Gordon? Or what _YOU_believe to be normal? Hmm? Do ya?" **His eye lids drooped again, his brown eyes darkening that made Gordon even more worried now, even though this was just a videotape and Gordon was in his office at the GCPD.

**"She's not like you all there. She won't be with ya in the end, believe me. She can't stay away. You'll see. I'll show you." **He grinned ear-to-ear then, laughing as the camera screen then switched to loud static, no other images showing. Not the Joker or anything. The end of the videotape.

Gordon looked over to the desk then, remembering there was a letter, he opened up and saw in bright red letters '_I'M A MAN OF MY WORD_.', it looked as if it had been written in blood. Gordon dropped it as he quickly moved to his feet, shoving his chair back and then out of the office, slamming the door shut behind him, nearly running past some the desks until he was in the center of the room

**"I need men at Bruce Wayne's penthouse! The whole building too! NOW!**"

**"Commissioner, what's going on?"** One of them asked

**"Just move! Get there as fast as you can! Joker's gonna be there!"** People just stared at him for a moment **"Move, people!"** They quickly scurried to their feet and moved, Gordon sighed then, breathing heavily as he ran a hand through his hair then Howl was beside him. Gordon looked at him **"What are you waiting for?" **Howl quickly moved then past Gordon, who the moved himself. He had no real idea what to expect tonight but he knew it would not end well. That was all too clear right now.

_**~Meanwhile back at the Charity Ball~**_

`I stared at Robbie for a few moments before glancing away, my glittery eye lids drooping as Robbie sighed in front of me, clearly annoyed with me. I wasn't cooperating with him it seemed. And that was tickin' him off highly. But oh well. He'd get over it eventually. To be honest, he was tickin' me off too. He wouldn't get to the point already. Now that I wasn't already entertain as well at what he had already told me.

**"I just want you to understand--" **

I looked back at him then, a frown on my lips, my eyes darkening **"Understand what, Robbie?" **He stared down at me, letting his left hand slowly move towards my face but I confusingly moved my head back and looked at him with a quirked eyebrow, watching him closely now. Why was he trying to touch me again?

My eyes casted over to the side as did his, both of us looking at everyone at the ball then I looked back at him, my eye lids still drooped as I moved forward. Hugging him around the waist again, letting my head rest on his chest and he hugged me back but then I just let go impulsively, shocked at my actions and walked deeper down the hall but Robbie pulled me back, I snapped at him but he just held me at arm's length.

**"Why did you come if you weren't invited?" **

I glared at him then, nearly snarling at him now but I couldn't help it. That was just who I was. It was getting cold all of a sudden, maybe someone had opened up a window or something. I didn't know nor did I care at the moment. Where was some matches when you needed them? But Robbie was just to determine to let me go as I tried to walk away, holding back the urge to swing at him. Okay, maybe every once in a while I wanted to slug the guy but it was. NOT. MY. FAULT. If you met Robbie, you'd know why I felt this way.

**"I'm Crane's son, okay?!"** He whispered harshly and I. Freakin'. Froze, people. I. FROZE. My head turned back and I stared at him, nearly twitching. How could someone miss that?! No one even looked over to us, at least not to my knowledge.

**"What the hell's wrong with you?"** I asked, my eyes still wide **"That wasn't rhetorical, Robbie. Seriously. You can actually answer. What the hell's wrong with you?"** He rolled his eyes and looked away, moving me against the wall, nearly putting a hand over my mouth but apparently he had learned that I bite.

And I bite hard too, ask those who have found out by experience. My hair was sticking up slightly now and I was mad now, Ms. Garcia had did it all pretty-pretty. Some would find this intimidating but to me, it just made me want to laugh almost. _Almost_.

**"You don't just come out and---You just don't spring that on someone, okay?!" **I whispered harshly and he just leaned down slightly and I plastered my head against the wall, hoping maybe it would be engulfed. To be one with the wall, folks. One. With. The. Wall.

What insane woman got with Crane of all people? That's what I want to know. But hey, maybe he was sexy or something and had a weird, interesting sexual fetish with burlap sacks? Maybe that's how he liked to roll but what do I know? I'm just Jessie.

**"Well, it's not my fault Marissa banged him, is it?" **Then he blinked slowly, looking as if he were about to throw up **"Oh my go—Did I just say ban—Oh, I feel sick, man." **He groaned**"Ohhh, this is not good. No, seriously...That's just messed up to even think about." **I shivered once in place, but then Robbie just had to look back at me and I twitched.

**"Marissa Garcia is your...Mom?"** I asked as if STILL confused **"Marissa and Jonathan Crane...Jonathan Crane is your dad? That's just...messed up." **

**"Well, like. Your Dad's the Joker. The cross dresser with make-up." **He protested with a quirked eyebrow **"So like, yeah. In your face." **

**"Face. Paint."** I disagreed **"He wears. Face. Paint."** I narrowed my eyebrows at him and he grinned slyly, leaning his face in and I twitched a little. What was this little freak up to now?

**"Well, here we are. _Freak to Freak_."** I swear I was gonna bite him very soon.

**"Why didn't you tell me before, huh?!" **I somehow managed to smack him on the face, he just chuckled and leaned in again as if about to kiss me, so yeah, I twitched again but then...

**"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen." **Joker's voice rang in my ears, both Robbie and I looked to the right then, seeing people parting away like the red sea.

Then Harley Quinn's giggle was heard, which echoed as well. I. Twitched. **"Miss me?" **Harley giggled, waving her shot gun about like a baton. I'm pretty sure that's not safe at all but whatever.

Robbie started to tug me down the hall but I protested, but then he just wrapped an arm around my waist, picking me up off the ground and walked down the hall away from all the yummy action. Last thing I saw was Harley apparently doing something wrong and got slapped by the Joker. Oh no, he didn't! No one slaps Harley but me!

I struggled in Robbie's grip, slamming my head backwards then somehow twisting my head back far enough to bite down on his shoulder. So yeah. He dropped me right away, I scurried up to my feet but he grabbed onto my left ankle and I tripped, hitting the ground with a small grunt. I growled under my breath and kicked at Robbie with my free foot. I didn't want to hurt him but I couldn't just let Joker do this. Not now. Now when Alfie was making me pancakes for breakfast!

When I got back up to my feet, I stumbled forward but stopped at the corner, looking over to the left, seeing Joker walking by the people here, holding a gun of his own while Harley sat on the floor, rubbing her face with her left hand while she still held her shotgun in her right hand. Why didn't she just shoot the guy? Oh yeah. That whole obsession thing and all that good stuff.

**"Now, we can uh—do this the easy way." **Joker told them, then he looked at Harley with a upset frown**"Get up, Harl."**

**"W—Will do, Mr. J." **Harley scurried to her feet but stumbled, the shotgun going off somehow and a bullet went into the floor, she giggled worriedly**"Oopsie." **She bit her left hand pointer finger, poor thing was afraid **"Oy vey." **She muttered under her breath, quickly moving over to the Joker, whom then looked back at the frighten guests. It was then that I wondered where Wayne had gone off to. He always seemed to dissapear when the action started up.

**"Or the painful way. Your decision. Doesn't take much though to light up a penthouse, now does it?" **Joker walked down then back to the middle of the room, he had some thugs around too, pointing guns at the people to make sure they stayed back and away from their Boss.

I frowned but moved behind a particular crowd of people, moving over beside a window, almost trying to hide now but when I glanced over to where I had been before, I saw Robbie looking around, pure worry on his face but then he ducked back. He hid well to be honest. I kept my head down as I could hear the echoing of the Joker's sigh. He was annoyed now. _How great_.

_But then_...

**"Ah ha!"** Joker laughed, again the crowd there parted like the red sea and I backed up, forgetting about the OPEN window behind me. Yeah. 'Cause even Jessie gets to be stupid like that. He neared me and I tripped on the long hem of my dress, falling to the floor and then I looked up seeing him hovering over me.

**"Coop!" **

Freakin' A. That's all I have to say. You already know who it is of course. Bubbly Harley came running up but then the Joker just hit her with the but of his gun and she fell to the ground, her nose bleeding now and she whimpered, looking up at him. He glared at her before looking back at me. I could see Alfie near by, his eyes watering and he was clearly worried. I looked back up at the Joker. I was worried too.

Someone then moved forward, making that mistake **"Hey! Let her go--" **A bullet going off sounded then, echoing all around the room. It made me jump in place, gasping softly under my breath. Everyone fell silent and then a thud of a body was heard a moment later. I saw a old man who looked to be in his sixties hit the floor, limp. Another person's life taken away...because of _him_. My heart beat was growing louder, but seemed to stutter every other beat.

Joker clicked his tongue and looked around, still standing in front of me** "Anyone else want to uh—be a hero?"** That's when I snapped. I got to my feet and attacked him, screaming loudly, clawing and hitting. Joker and I stumbled the floor, Harley crawling backwards in fear.

Joker tried to pin me down but I kicked his face and he then attacked with his gun but then out of no where, Harley jumped him and sadly, I was standing up at the moment and she hit me and I stumbled back. I slipped again on my dress hem and fell backwards out of the OPEN window. Quickly hitting a glass tinted roof, sliding down it quickly as I tried to grab onto anything, panicking. The glass of the roof hurt, it was rubbing harshly on my skin. It felt odd and painful.

I swung off of the tinted glass room then, trying to grab onto the ledge but my hands slipped and I was now falling down, screaming of course for once, wind blowing my hair everywhere as I saw I was going to land on the pavement below. Yeah. I was gonna die. Then I was tackled by something in mid-air. OW!

Oh yay. Bat-face is gonna save me. I kept screaming though, hanging onto him for dear life as we were both still falling to our agonizing deaths! But then I heard a swoosh noise and re-opened my eye lids, realizing I had shut them at some point and noticed black wings appearing behind Batman.

We glided side to side then, going down the street and I clung to Batman for dear life, as if he were life support to me. My fingers digging into the hard black rubber of the suit, and you can take that anyway you want. I really didn't feel like dying right now. And if that meant being with the Dark Knight for the mean time. Then yeah. I'm all for that. Now I was just breathing heavily as I closed my eye lids again. I didn't want to see anything right now but Batman kept a hold of me, landing them on top of a shorter building's roof top. As he stood there, still with me in his arms. I wasn't about to let go now.

My eye lids flashed open and I saw everything was very still and I looked up at Batman then, he just stared at me **"Are you alright?"** Batman asked, also breathing heavily. I nodded quickly then, not verbally responding. I don't think I could talk if I tried right now.

He slowly moved me off of one arm, setting me on the roof top lightly, making sure I was sitting down and not standing up on purpose. He was still breathing heavily as he stepped away from me, as if he'd cause me pain if he was near me any more. I cleared my throat once, feeling a cough starting up but I held it back. My throat suddenly became dry and my head hurt but I stayed quiet. Didn't need Bat-face to scold me or something.

But what was going to happen to all those people back at the penthouse? I mean, Bats here just left them all alone with the Joker of all people. Even to a person like me, that's cold. And already one person had died to night, how many more had to for the Batman to be satisfied?

I kinda hoped that Harley would get out while she could, Joker wouldn't be happy with her after she jumped him like that to save me. I know she was just tryin' to help and all, wasn't really her fault I fell out the window. But then before I could stop myself, the words already ran out of my mouth before I had a chance to really think **"You know for a ninja wannabe you're pretty cool when saving someone." **He looked at me with a glare, walking off then walked off to the edge of the building roof

**"Are you going to save those people? Bruce Wayne's in there!" **I quickly stood up, nearly losing my balance but watched him stop, looking back at me slightly. Wait...Why did I care about Wayne again?

**"Where do you think I was headed?" **He turned around again, his back to me as he was clearly ready to jump

**"But I didn't thank you for saving me." **I protested, stepping forward once

**"_And you'll never have to_." **With that he jumped off, using his some kind of device and a long leather strap cord swung out from the device he held and Bat-face just moved throughout the city, apparently headed back to the penthouse. I ran over to the edge of the roof I was on, watching the Batman fly off like that then he was out of my view. Maybe I was wrong about him. A hand was on my shoulder then and impulsively I swung back with my left arm, hearing a scream of pain then. I stopped and turned around completely, looking at what or who I had hit.

There was a doubled over Robbie, how did he get here?! I gasped and my eyes widen, my hands slowly reached at his shoulders **"Oh my gosh. I am so, so sorry." **He groaned in pain but nodded, then just squeaked once before standing up. I slowly stood back up with him, licking my lips once and tried to smile

**"Sorry."** He stretched once and nodded one more time, then he looked behind me and dropped to the floor, yanking me down with him then flipped me over, covering his body with mine **"What--" **Then the only response was a loud squealing, zipping noise then a very loud explosion, it felt like my ear drums had busted then, my hair moving as the wind picked up harshly.

Robbie held onto my tightly and after everything seemed to get really creepily quiet, my ears began to ring and Robbie, still holding me, slowly helped me sit up. Smoke and ash on my face just as it was on him, I looked up and saw a tan colored like scrap of paper starting to float down then land in my lap. My hands, that were also dirty now too, unfolded the paper and I read what was on it.

'_Joke's on you, kid._' I looked at Robbie then, slowly looking down and saw a metal shard sticking out of his stomach side, he shirt stained heavily with blood.

**"Ro—Robbie? N—No. No, no, no." **I panicked even more as he looked down and froze **"Robbie, don't panic--"** He was breathing quietly but I hoped that he wasn't going into shock but then he slowly laid back down on the roof, starting to cough now and that just made him bleed more, my hands fluttered over the rod then to his bloodstained shirt, blood sparkling on my hands now. I felt tears going down my face and I didn't dare to stop them. My eyes looked away and around quickly

**"Somebody!"** I screamed loudly **"Help! Somebody, please! Help! We need help!"** I whimpered looking back down at Robbie, actually crying now. Robbie slowly fluttered his eye lids

He tried to smile but then he coughed, cringing in pain but he kept his eyes on me the best he could **"You look really pretty t—tonight, Jess." **He whispered to me then his eye lids drooped shut, he was still breathing bu—but...it was so slow and quiet, and not that noticeable.

I tried to stop the bleeding, but then I stroked his face as I saw his body jerk a little as my hand bumped lightly against the metal rod, my cries stuttering as blood smeared slightly on his face, I bent over then, hovering him and I cradled his head in my lap, screaming then. _Just letting my emotions take over me for once_.

**0000**


	21. Incident

**{A/N: This is my final chapter on this first "_Jester's Girl_" installment; it's been really fun for me to type it up; and as I asked in a previous chapter, I'm thinking of typing up a 2nd installment of this, just a continuation of Jessie :) what do you all think? Should I? Hope you enjoy this chapter :) *}**

**0000**

`It had been six hours hours. Thirteen Minutes. And fifty eight seconds...Wait. Now it was Five hours and fourteen minutes. Six hours since Robbie had been admitted to the hospital. Six hours since Robbie had protected me from an explosion. Six hours since Joker came and Batman saved me. Six hours...since I had felt almost normal. Joker had taken that away from me.

I had already knew it wouldn't last long before...I tried to deny it though and just focus on the good stuff. The peace...the happiness. Even Alfie had tried to make me not worry, but I did anyway of course. Robbie was hooked up to monitors at the hospital, and Gordon had taken me to the GCPD instead, I didn't want to be there at the hospital. That might sound like a horrible thing to do, not to be with Robbie. But Gordon told me everything would be okay. Yeah. Right.

My lips felt like they were going numb now, so I licked them once feeling the nasty taste of bile in my throat, on my taste buds but I bit my lower lip, sighing softly under my breath. This was disgusting. Something was blurring my vision and it was tickin' me off. I wiped my face with my right hand, that cleared my vision somewhat.

Were the noises getting louder now? I stared at the room floor in confusion almost, my eyebrows narrowed as I cleared my throat. My heart beat was normal for some reason and I didn't know why. Maybe I didn't care...was that bad? Inside I was having a panic attack. It took everything in me not to break down. My hair was a mess as well. It was frizzy and still curled, hanging over my shoulders, it covered my left eye.

I licked my lips and tilted my head to the side quickly, cracking my neck then cracked each my knuckles on my hands, still keeping my eyes on the floor. But then, I heard a rattling noise and I looked up. What the—I saw some of the cops buzzing about like humming birds, papers shifting about and fluttering. I squinted my eyes then breathed in deeply and sat up straighter if that was possible right now. It was odd for someone like me, but then again almost everything I did was kinda odd.

My eyes flickered to the right then to the left but then I saw two cops dragging in a limp person, and I jumped up off my seat, watching as they dragged the person over to a large empty cell and opened the iron gate door, it made a screeching creaking noise that made me flinch. But then I noticed something, and I could hear the small sound of the click-clack of metal hitting against metal echoing in my ears. My eyes zeroed in on the chain hanging from the limp figure's side.

Then the flap of the fabric he...he wore. My eyes flashed up and I saw green hair...i—it was the Joker. I didn't even notice my movements as I walked towards the cell, the two cops who had dragged in him in were already gone but I didn't care. My eye lids drooped and I knelt on both knees before the cell, my hands up high on the metal bars then they slid down a bit further and I leaned forward, pressing my forehead against the cold bars, my eyes on the still limp Joker that was laying down on the single cell seat. It looked almost like a bench. Hmm.

But then he was no longer limp as he shifted, growling under his breath and his head titled up slightly. Only I noticed but everything else seemed to tune out as I kept my gaze on him. His feathery dark green hair hiding his eyes almost as he looked over at me with drooped eye lids, his face paint cracked in some places revealing pale flesh. His scars more visible than ever right now but none of that really mattered.

His brown eyes were dark as our gazes locked, both of us with drooped eye lids though. I could feel my lips turn down into a frown, almost sad like but my eye lids rose as we stared at each other. I could see his lips curl up into a wide grin and he moved, sitting up on the seat and cracking his knuckles at once then moved towards me.

He moved in a odd hunched over like movement, almost like a monkey in some ways, and I say that with the most honesty. But I was frozen, I would not move at all. It was as if I was in a trance right now. He leaned down and was in a crouch position now, almost as if fascinated by me.

He licked his lips a few times, reaching through a space in between a set of bars, his right hand entangling itself into my hair and his eyes followed his left hand that reached out at my other side, letting his finger tips touch my jaw line then neck, then I felt him yank me forward harshly, my forehead connecting with the metal bars and his face pressed on the other side of the bars, his eyes burning into mine. I gasped softly, nearly squeaking. His red lips parted and his teeth snapped together.

He let out a sigh of annoyance, clicking his tongue softly as if scolding me and his eye lids drooped shut but only for a moment's time as they flashed open, then they drooped as he looked at me as if confused my expression, pressing his lips firmly together, his lips then formed into a scowl as he was trying to figure out why I was trying to back away, he just pulled me back more harsher than before, quicker than before so it hurt even more as my forehead re-connected with the metal bars.

"**Ah ta ta." **Joker shook his head as if disapproving then made a expression of a playful warning, quirking his left eyebrow **"Why are you so serious all the time?" **His red tongue flashed out, licking his lips then darted back into his mouth, his lips pressed closed together once more. I was breathing heavily now, and my heart beat, I noticed, was picking up it's pace all of a sudden. My lips felt numb but I ignored it, as I ignored the fact that I felt sick right now. I wanted to throw up.

"**Did you hear my advice? Hmm?" **He asked, tilting his head to the side, yanking harder on my hair with his right hand and I couldn't pull my hands away from the iron bars now, they clenched onto them and his left hand crawled over to the coat I was wearing. It was Wayne's.

Wayne had been here earlier but I had put up quite the scene when he tried to suggest that I go to the hospital too, and I would not go back to the penthouse, and Alfie still waited for me in the limo. I couldn't get him to leave like I had Wayne. And somewhere deep down in my gut, for some reason I was liking the pain. That might sound a little crazy but as I said, almost everything about me was odd.

"**_Seems like I'm not getting through to ya_."** He twisted me around quickly, yanking me up nearly to my feet and had one of his arms all the way out between the bars and had it around the front of my throat, holding me in a choke hold and I started to gag, my eyes widening but I didn't try to fight it.

"**_You wanna hear a funny story?_"** He asked, and somehow I knew he was nodding, as if already hearing my agreement, he didn't talk for a few seconds but then somehow I felt his lips at my left ear, whispering

"**_When you were born, your uh_...your mother said that you looked just like me. But the others, they uh didn't agree with her. So, I had this guy tape it all with a video camera, just like the one I use nowadays to get a message out to Gotham's finest, huh? _Yeaaah_. But I did all this, just to prove a point to the others, that it wasn't just make believe that this was fact based logic, you know? I didn't like _it _when people called me a_ liar_." **Joker no longer sounded amused, he sounded angry **"_But_. It just wasn't enough for anyone. I had to show them. But guess what. You've already done that for me. You. Did. It. So. _Beauti—full_." **

"**Hey!" **Gordon appeared only so far of me, looking at his men as I felt Joker press something against my left cheek then right under my chin, it felt like glass **"Who brought him in? I told you Jessica Hilton was here, you weren't supposed to have him here. Arkham. I said take him to Arkham Asylum!" **He looked at one of the cops who had brought the Joker in then he looked back over in my direction, his eyes almost widen and his lips parted, he was clearly nervous and didn't want to do anything rash at the moment. I felt the sharp object press into the skin below my chin, almost cutting through but not exactly.

There was that nasty taste of bile rising again so I cringed slightly but then my lips turned back into a straight line, but my eyes still held the look of disgust. I felt sick now. _Dirty_. Like scum, or something worse. I just wanted to take a shower now...to see Robbie maybe. Anywhere really...but something was keeping me here, not letting me fight back against the Joker. To stop him.

"**Let her go."** Gordon took one step forward and the Joker pressed a little harder with the glass, switching it to my cheek, blood drizzled slowly down my pale skin then the glass went back underneath my skin. I breathed slower now, measuring everything now. The way I shifted and the way I blinked but then Gordon spoke again, this time more aggressive than before, but more calmer **"What do you want?" **

"**Huh?"** Joker acted as though he didn't hear

"**Let her go!" **One of the cops yelled, it sounded like Howl.

"**What was that?" **

"**What do you want, damn it?!" **Gordon yelled, getting frustrated as some cops already had their guns pointed directly at the Joker and I, mostly at me since I was the one in front of the cell being held hostage. Then out of no where, gun shots went off, hitting some of the lights which quickly went out, other lights flickering.

Joker didn't respond at first but when he did, the words just sounded so casual and all so too calm **"_I just want my little girl back_." **I could already literally see his smile in my head, as if it had been burned into my memory.

The Joker let go of me and I fell forward, the glass slipped though and scraped against the side of my left cheek again, more blood bled and as my face connected with the floor, I could see the blood stained glass piece hit the floor as well at my right then I was lifted up and pulled to my feet, Gordon and another cop quickly pulling me away and three others cops heading into the cell, yanking back a laughing Joker, hitting him and trying to calm him down.

Someone quickly headed towards the cell with a needle then as I could tell as I jumped up, ignoring the blood falling down my face, down my neck. _Sedative_. They were gonna save them. Those disgusting people! How dare they?! This wasn't right...It just wasn't.

I started to scream **"No!" **I hit against Gordon and the other cop but even though Gordon's glasses fell of his face, falling to the floor they continued to pull me away **"Make them stop—Don't do this—Stop--" **But he wasn't listening and I fell to the ground, slipping out of Gordon's grip, moving towards the cell but then two other cops grabbed me, I was off the ground now that's how high I was being lifted up, being held back.

Joker kept on laughing then was pressed against the cold marble floor, his face pressed down, I could hear the crack, others did too probably but ignored it. They, his now abusers, had broken a bone somewhere in his body. I just knew it. But then he looked up at me the best he could. They were gonna take him back to Arkham Asylum...I knew that. At least he'd have Harley, right? No. This still wasn't right at all. Gotham City abused their authority. They deserved a much better class criminal.

I felt the tears running down my face with the blood, both mixing together now.

"**Y_ou can't stay away_."** Jokertaunted me, loud enough for me to hear **"You can _try_. But I know the real you...You aren't like the others, and you never will be. Even if you wanted to be. You're just ahead of the curve, you remember tha_t_." **He over pronounced the 't' again like he had before, then he laughed louder than before, seeming to enjoy this all

"**We'll be seein' a lot of each other. I'm just being honest. Are you?"** Then he twisted, moving away as the needle neared him but they pinned him down, the needle sliding into his skin and the liquid flowing into his body now. Then Gordon pulled me back again, with the others, pulling me into a hallway then into a room so I couldn't see the scene anymore, see the Joker. And Gordon tried to keep a hold on me at first as I screamed at him, not even noticing at all what I was saying or doing now. After a while, I just felt numb as I let Gordon hug me, like I was his child. This felt nice. To be cared about, for someone to worry about me. Well. They should. _They really, really should_.

**0000**


End file.
